Department for Education

Educational Institutions: Finance

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on (a) his Department's capital funding and (b) the adequacy of funding for (i) maintenance and (ii) other capital projects in (A) schools, (B) sixth forms, (C) further education colleges, (D) universities, (E) nurseries and (F) other settings where childcare and early years education is provided; and if she will make a statement.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has had recent discussions with (a) the Chancellor of the Exchequer and (b) the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on managing the potential safety risks in schools as a result of (i) the presence of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete and (ii) the condition of school buildings; and if she will make a statement.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the school capital budget for (a) maintenance and (b) other work in the context of the presence of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete in some schools; whether she has had discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on this issue in the context of the Autumn Statement; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: It is the responsibility of those who run education settings to manage the safety and maintenance of their estate and to alert the Department if there is a serious concern with a building. It has always been the case that where the Department is made aware of a school building that may pose an immediate risk, immediate action is taken.The Department will spend what it takes to keep children and young people safe. The Department will fund emergency mitigation work needed to make buildings safe, including installing alternative classroom space where necessary. Where schools and colleges need additional help with revenue costs, the Department expects all reasonable requests will be approved. The Department will then also fund refurbishment projects, or rebuilding projects, to rectify the RAAC issue for the long term. The Department will set out further details for affected schools and colleges in due course. The higher education (HE) sector is independent from Government and it is therefore for individual providers to determine and address any estate issues.The Department will work with the relevant responsible body, which will depend on the type of school or college with confirmed RAAC. Every case will be different, and the Department is working closely with affected settings to understand and support their needs, including with capital funding.Our immediate support for schools and colleges will be managed from unallocated departmental budgets. This will not have an impact on existing programmes. The Department will provide further information about funding at relevant points in due course.The 2021 Spending Review announced a total of £19 billion of capital funding to support the education sector. As part of this, the Department’s capital budget is £7 billion in 2023/24. The Department has announced £1.8 billion in both 2022/23 and 2023/24 to improve the condition of the school estate, and is transforming schools across the country through our School Rebuilding Programme. Over £2.8 billion in capital funding is being invested in skills over this spending review period.The Department reviews how it allocates its capital budget on an ongoing basis and will reflect on current and future funding requirement as part of our preparations for the next Spending Review. Ministers and officials have regular discussions with colleagues from HM Treasury and other Government Departments on a range of issues.​The Department will always put the safety and wellbeing of children and staff in education settings at the heart of its policy decisions.

Mental Health Services: Children and Young People

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that local authorities have adequate funding to invest in early intervention services.

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what financial support the Government provides to local authorities for the purposes of investing in early intervention services.

David Johnston: In 2021/22, local authority gross expenditure on children's and young people's services was £11.9 billion. For 2023/24, the Local Government Finance Settlement has made available up to £59.7 billion for all local government services in England, including spending on early intervention. This is an increase in Core Spending Power of 9.4% in cash terms on 2022/23. How local authorities choose to target that funding across services is down to the discretion of local leaders. In terms of ongoing funding, the department needs to ensure children’s services are sustainable in the long term. That is key to proposals in the ‘Stable Homes, Built on Love’ strategy, where we are focusing on early, preventative help which can reduce the need for crisis intervention later. In the lead up to the next Spending Review, the Government will work to ensure the right level of funding for all Children’s Services, including early intervention.

Independent Schools Inspectorate

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 24 April 2023 to Question 180437 on Independent Schools Inspectorate, what steps her Department is taking to monitor compliance with paragraphs 10 to 12 of the Agreement between the Department for Education and the Independent Schools Inspectorate in respect of the approval of the Independent Schools Inspectorate.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 24 April 2023 to Question 180437 on Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) and with reference to paragraph 13 of the Agreement between the Department for Education and the Independent Schools Inspectorate in respect of the approval of the Independent Schools Inspectorate, when her Department has requested to inspect the register recording ISI board members' interests in ISI inspected schools.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 24 April 2023 to Question 180437 on Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) and with reference to paragraph 35 of the Agreement between the Department for Education and the Independent Schools Inspectorate in respect of the approval of the Independent Schools Inspectorate, when her Department has met the ISI to discuss its performance in the period since 24 April 2023.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 24 April 2023 to Question 180437 on Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) and with reference to paragraph 36 of the Agreement between the Department for Education and the Independent Schools Inspectorate in respect of the approval of the Independent Schools Inspectorate, whether she has requested Ofsted monitoring of ISI (a) inspections and (b) reports in the period since 24 April 2023.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 24 April 2023 to Question 180437 on Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) and with reference to paragraph 34 of the Agreement between the Department for Education and the Independent Schools Inspectorate in respect of the approval of the Independent Schools Inspectorate, whether she has received any complaints about the ISI via (a) the ISI and (b) other groups in the period since 1 January 2023.

Nick Gibb: The Department requested, received and considered information from the Independent Schools Inspectorate (‘ISI’) prior to confirming re-approval of the inspectorate on 29 March 2023. This included ISI’s statement of independence and information about ISI’s board members, their backgrounds and interests. This allowed the Department to satisfy itself that ISI was meeting the requirements under paragraphs 10, 11, 12 and 13 of its approval agreement. The Department has subsequently requested information about planned changes to the board and satisfied itself that those paragraphs would continue to be met. The Department will continue to request information when changes occur and otherwise periodically to confirm that ISI will continue to meet the terms of its approval agreement.Since 23 April 2023, officials from the Department have met ISI to discuss ISI’s performance in the second quarter (on 4 May 2023) and third quarter (on 12 September 2023) of the current calendar year. The Department has also discussed performance at other meetings with ISI which occur at least fortnightly.The Secretary of State has not requested that Ofsted carry out any additional monitoring of ISI since 24 April 2023 beyond that routinely required by the November 2019 direction, which is available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5ed6196486650c76adc36f64/Inspectorate_Monitoring_Direction_4_Nov_2019.pdf. Ofsted will publish its annual report later in the autumn.The Department has received complaints related to ISI both through ISI and from other sources since 1 January 2023. These are considered and raised with ISI as appropriate on a case-by-case basis.

Children in Care

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps the Government is taking to reduce the number of children in residential care.

David Johnston: The government published its plans to reform children’s social care on 2 February 2023 through an implementation strategy and consultation, entitled ‘Stable Homes, Built on Love’. This can be found at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1147317/Children_s_social_care_stable_homes_consultation_February_2023.pdf. A central aim of the strategy is to keep children safely with their families, or extended family, where this is in the best interests of the child.The department is investing more than £45 million over the next two years through ‘Families First for Children Pathfinders’ to design and test complex reforms in a number of local areas, across family help, child protection and family network policies. Additionally, we will also be publishing the first ever national Kinship Care Strategy by the end of 2023, which will explore how to better support kinship carers financially and practically.Whilst the government recognises the importance of reducing the number of residential care placements for children and young people, residential care can be the right option for some children. Therefore, the department is also supporting local authorities to expand their own provision, which will reduce reliance on the private sector, without reducing the number of placements. We have announced £259 million of capital funding up to 2025 to address concerns in the children’s homes market, and create a market that is more attuned to the needs of local children.

Children: Neurodiversity

Matt Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what data her Department holds on the average age at which neurodivergent conditions are identified among children.

David Johnston: The department does not hold data on the average age children are identified with neurodivergent conditions.

Teachers: Neurodiversity

Matt Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the Government is taking steps to ensure that (a) teachers and (b) other education professionals receive training in the early identification of neurodivergent conditions in children.

Matt Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent progress her Department has made on promoting early screening and assessment for neurodivergent conditions.

Matt Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps the Government is taking to work with (a) health professionals, (b) local authorities, (c) charities and (d) private sector businesses to ensure that children with neurodivergent conditions are (i) identified and (ii) supported as early as possible in their educational journey.

Matt Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of implementing a universal screener to identify children with neurodivergent conditions in state primary schools.

Matt Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has identified international best practices for replication in England for the purposes of (a) increasing rates of early identification of and (b) strengthening support provided to children with a neurodivergent condition in schools.

David Johnston: The department wants all children and young people, no matter what their Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), to be able to reach their full potential and receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life. Under the Children and Families Act 2014, mainstream schools and colleges must use their best endeavours to make sure a child or young person who has Special Educational Needs (SEN) gets the special educational provision they need. The SEND Code of Practice is clear that meeting the needs of a child with SEN does not require a diagnostic label or test. Instead, we expect teachers to monitor the progress of all children and young people and put support in place where needed, including arranging diagnostic tests where appropriate.To support all teachers in meeting these expectations, we are implementing high-quality teacher training reforms, which begin with initial teacher training and continues throughout their career progression. These reforms are designed to ensure teachers have the skills to support all pupils to succeed, including those with SEND. Since 2020, the Initial Teacher Training Core Content Framework (CCF) has included content on adapting teaching to the strengths and needs of all pupils. The department is conducting a review of the CCF and Early Career Framework, which will consider further opportunities to improve how the frameworks support new teachers to meet the needs of pupils with SEND.The department’s Universal Services (US) contract brings together SEND-specific continuous professional development and support for the school and further education workforce to improve outcomes for children and young people. This includes autism awareness training and resources. Over 100,000 professionals have undertaken autism awareness training since the US programme launched.The 2023 SEND and Alternative Provision Improvement Plan set out our vision to improve mainstream education through setting standards for early and accurate identification of need, and timely access to support to meet those needs. The standards will clarify the types of support that should be ordinarily available in mainstream settings and practice guides will be developed to support frontline professionals. The first three practice guides will be published by the end of 2025 and will include one on autism.To inform this, analysts and policy officials keep under review all evidence-based good practice, including international evidence.The 2021 Autism Strategy sets out the government’s ambition to make significant progress on improving early identification, reducing diagnosis waiting times and improving diagnostic pathways for all people, including children and young people. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is taking steps to improve access to assessments for autism. In 2023/24 DHSC allocated £4.2 million to improve services for autistic children and young people including assessments, pre-and post-diagnostic support and the continuation of the Autism in Schools programme. Additionally, in April 2023, NHS England published a national framework to support the local NHS to commission and deliver autism assessment services for children, young people, and adults.The department has not undertaken an assessment of the effectiveness of universal screening for neurodivergent conditions. From 2019 the department’s Opportunity Area programme invested £600,000 in a pilot to deliver earlier identification and faster assessment of autism, by connecting teachers and health professionals in schools. The pilot began in Bradford and was subsequently adopted by four other Opportunity Areas. The University of Manchester has been commissioned to evaluate the Early Identification of Autism Projects, and their report is due by the end of November. Bradford’s Centre for Applied Education Research is drawing on the learning from the pilot to build and test a new digital tool to help Key Stage 1 teachers to identify and respond to learning and support needs of neurodivergent children in the classroom.

Social Services: Children

Mike Amesbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of funding for children’s services.

David Johnston: The government always considers all local government spending when finalising budgets at finance settlements, to ensure councils can continue to deliver vital services, including children’s care. The government works closely with the sector to understand their needs and funding requirements. In 2021/22, local authority gross expenditure on children and young people's services was £11.9 billion. For 2023/24, the Local Government Finance Settlement has made available up to £59.7 billion for all local government services in England, including spending on children's services. This is an increase in Core Spending Power of 9.4% in cash terms on 2022/23. Within the Stable Homes, Built on Love reform strategy, the government announced an additional £200 million made available for care system transformation until 2024/25. Longer-term funding decisions to scale up these reforms will be made in subsequent spending review periods.

Pupils: Specific Learning Difficulties

Matt Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many pupils in state schools have a specific learning difficulty according to the latest data available.

David Johnston: The Department publishes annual figures on Special Educational Needs (SEN) for pupils in England. The most recent figures are for January 2023 and are available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/special-educational-needs-in-england. 170,062 pupils at state funded schools in England had a specific learning difficulty as their primary type of SEN out of a total of 1,453,576 pupils with SEN.

Schools: Social Work

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits every school having an identified and trained person to provide support to children and young people who have experienced (a) domestic violence, (b) child sexual abuse and (c) other forms of trauma.

David Johnston: In accordance with the Children Act 1989, local authorities are required to provide services for children in need for the purposes of safeguarding and promoting children’s welfare. Section 47 of the Act requires local authorities to undertake enquiries if they believe a child has suffered or is likely to suffer harm. ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018’ provides statutory guidance on legal requirements and inter-agency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.Where a child is deemed to be a victim of, or a witness to, domestic abuse, or has suffered child sexual abuse, a referral must be made to children’s social care. Local authority children’s social care will make an assessment of what support is needed in the specific case. Where specific identification of support in schools or colleges is needed, the designated safeguarding lead will work with the mental health support lead and/or others to support children to achieve educational outcomes.

Pupils: Autism

Alexander Stafford: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of Applied Behaviour Analysis for autistic children.

David Johnston: The department has not undertaken an assessment of the effectiveness of Applied Behaviour Analysis for autistic children and young people. The 2023 Special Educational Needs and Disabilities and Alternative Provision Improvement Plan sets out our vision to improve mainstream education through setting standards for early and accurate identification of need and timely access to support to meet those needs. The standards will clarify the types of support that should be ordinarily available in mainstream settings and practice guides will be developed to support frontline professionals. The first three practice guides will be published by the end of 2025 and will include a practice guide on autism. To inform this, we are continuing to work with a wide range of stakeholders to understand what the most effective ways are to support autistic children and young people in education settings.

Special Educational Needs

Alexander Stafford: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the statutory timescales are for the production of an initial Education, Health and Care Plan.

David Johnston: A local authority must send the finalised Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan to the child’s parent or to the young person, the governing body, proprietor or principal of any school, other institution or provider of relevant early years education named in the EHC plan, and the responsible commissioning body as soon as practicable, and in any event within 20 weeks of the local authority receiving a request for an EHC needs assessment in accordance with Section 36(1) of the Children and Families Act, or of the local authority becoming responsible for the child in accordance with Section 24 of the Act.The local authority need not comply with the time limit referred to above if it is impractical for any of the reasons set out in regulation 10(4)(a) to (d) of The Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014.

Schools: Repairs and Maintenance

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many schools closed classrooms due to (a) maintenance and (b) structural issues in the last 12 months.

Nick Gibb: The Department will always put the safety and wellbeing of children and staff in education settings at the heart of its policy decisions. It is the responsibility of those who run our schools, academy trusts, local authorities, and voluntary-aided school bodies, who work with their schools on a day-to-day basis, to manage the maintenance of their schools. Most building and refurbishment works within schools and colleges do not involve RAAC and will not require the involvement of the Department. The Department does not therefore hold information on the number of buildings closed due to maintenance and structural issues.

Schools: Buildings

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will publish an updated list of schools known to have RAAC present in their buildings; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: An updated list of schools and colleges with confirmed cases of RAAC as of 16 October was published on 19 October 2023, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reinforced-autoclaved-aerated-concrete-raac-management-information .

Special Educational Needs

Alexander Stafford: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the statutory timescales are for production of an amendment to an Education, Health and Care Plan; and what guidance is provided to local authorities that do not adhere to those timescales.

David Johnston: Where the local authority proposes to amend an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, it must send the child’s parent or the young person a copy of the existing (non-amended) plan and an accompanying notice providing details of the proposed amendments, including copies of any evidence to support the proposed changes.Following representations from the child’s parent or the young person, if the local authority decides to continue to make amendments, it must issue the amended EHC plan as quickly as possible and within 8 weeks of the original amendment notice. If the local authority decides not to make the amendments, it must notify the child’s parent or the young person, explaining why, within the same time limit.The amended EHC plan should make clear which parts have been amended. Where an EHC plan is amended, the following review must be held within 12 months of the date of issue of the original EHC plan or previous review (not 12 months from the date the amended EHC plan is issued).When sending the final amended EHC plan, the local authority must notify the child’s parent or the young person of their right to appeal and the time limit for doing so, of the requirement for them to consider mediation should they wish to appeal, and the availability of information, advice and support and disagreement resolution services.Full guidance for local authorities is set out in the Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice: 0 to 25 years.

Schools: Finance

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the letter from Susan Acland-Hood to the Chair of the Education Select Committee on National Funding Formula Update, published on 6 October 2023, what discussions she has had with (a) local authorities and (b) school leaders' representatives on the potential impact of revision to the sums allocated under the national funding formula on schools' budget planning for the next academic year; if she will make it her policy to ensure that each school is allocated at least the same value of funding as announced in July 2023; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: The Department informed Local Authorities and academy trusts of the republished National Funding Formula (NFF) on 6 October 2023, alongside the publication of the corrected NFF allocations.The Permanent Secretary has taken full responsibility for the error made by officials and has written to both the Secretary of State and the Education Select Committee to apologise. The Secretary of State has asked the Permanent Secretary to conduct an independent and external review of the quality assurance process surrounding the calculation of the NFF.The Department has already held a series of discussions with Local Authorities and school representatives to discuss the operational implications of the error. The Department is continuing to work closely with school stakeholders to communicate this change and support schools to manage their budgets.The Government is continuing to deliver, in full, the total level of core funding for mainstreams schools and high needs that has been promised. It will remain over £59.6 billion in the 2024/25 financial year. This is the highest ever funding for schools in our history in real terms per pupil.Schools have not yet received their 2024/25 funding, so the correction of this error does not mean adjusting any funding that schools have already received. The NFF allocations published by the Department are notional. These figures are subject to change based on the October census, which was collected on 5 October 2023. Local authorities’ final allocations will be published in December as part of their Dedicated Schools Grant and schools are not provided their definitive budgets until the following calendar year: typically in February for maintained schools and March for academies.

Educational Institutions: Finance

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on (a) his Department's revenue budget and (b) the adequacy of revenue funding for (i) schools, (ii) sixth forms, (iii) further education colleges, (iv) universities and (v) childcare provision; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: The Secretary of State for Education has regular discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on all aspects of the Department's revenue budget. The Government is committed to providing a world class education system for all and has channelled significant funding to achieve that.Over the last year, the Government has announced substantial additional funding for education, on top of the sums promised at the last Spending Review.At the Autumn Statement in November 2022 the Government announced additional funding of £2 billion for schools in each of 2023/24 and 2024/25.In March 2023, in the Spring Budget the Government announced significant new funding to expand the free early education entitlements from April 2024, together with an additional £204 million this year, and £288 million next year, to increase the hourly rates paid for the existing entitlement offers. By 2027/28, the Government expects to spend in excess of £8 billion every year on free hours and early education. This represents the single biggest spending on childcare in England ever.In July 2023, the Department announced an additional £525 million of funding this year to support schools with the teachers’ pay award, and £900 million in 2024/25, with a further £185 million in 2023/24 and £285 million in 2024/25, to drive forward skills delivery in the further education sector. Next year, school funding will be more than £59.6 billion, which is the highest ever level in real terms per pupil.The Government currently provides significant financial support for the higher education sector of approximately £17 billion per year, including £10.7 billion in taxpayer subsidised tuition fee loans in the 2022/23 financial year.The Department is funding an additional £3.8 billion over the course of this Parliament to strengthen post-16 education and training. This includes £185 million in 2023/24 and £285 million in 2024/25 to help colleges tackle recruitment and retention issues in high value technical, vocational, and academic provision.

Educational Institutions: Cybersecurity

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she has taken to assess the proportion of schools and colleges that meet the cyber security standards for schools and colleges, updated on 29 March 2023.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent progress her Department has made on issuing guidance to schools on cyber-security.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an estimate of the number and proportion of cyber-security incidents in schools that took place since 23 March 2022 that might have been (a) prevented and (b) mitigated had those schools been following the standards set out in her Department’s guidance entitled Meeting digital and technology standards in schools and colleges, published on 23 March 2022.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, on how many occasions she has met the Director of the National Cyber Security Centre since 25 October 2022; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: The Department recognises that cyber security is a concern for many schools and academy trusts. The Department will continue to develop the support and tools offered to schools and academy trusts to improve their cyber security and resilience (including RPA cyber cover). The Department will also continue to streamline reporting and data capture to improve mutual understanding between the department and schools. Additionally, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) provides guidance on how to avoid computer security threats. This guidance is available at: https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/collection/10-steps.In order to continue building an evidence base, the Department is running a biennial Technology in Schools survey to capture up to date data which enables the Department to understand the current state, use and spread of technology within primary and secondary schools in England. This will allow the Department to support various strands of current policy commitments and to inform future interventions. This year’s survey includes the proportion of schools that are meeting some specific elements of the cyber security standards. Findings from the first Technology in Schools survey will be published in late 2023.The Department is also developing a digital service to support senior leadership in schools with planning for technology. The tool will enable them to benchmark their technology against the digital standards, suggest areas of improvement and provide actionable steps and resources to implement these recommendations.The Department regularly engages with the NCSC on the cyber security issues faced by schools.

Free School Meals

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 14 June 2023 to Question 187978 on Free School Meals, how her Department reviews the eligibility conditions for Free School Meals to ensure that they support those that most need them.

Nick Gibb: The provision of free school meals to children from households who are on low income or out of work is important to the Government.Over two million pupils are currently eligible for benefits based Free School Meals (FSM). Close to 1.3 million additional infants receive free and nutritious meals under the Universal Infant Free School Meals policy.The Department does not have plans to change the current eligibility conditions for FSM, but will continue to keep eligibility under review to ensure that these meals are supporting those who most need them. The Department continues to work with other Government Departments to monitor the consequences of the rising cost of living and the impact on disadvantaged families.

Classics: State Education

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to increase the recruitment of classics teachers in state sector schools.

Nick Gibb: Recent data shows that there are now over 468,000 full time equivalent (FTE) teachers in state funded schools in England, which is an increase of 27,000 (6%) since 2010. This makes it the highest number of FTE teachers on record since the School Workforce Census began in 2010.The Department’s teacher recruitment and retention reforms are aimed at supporting teacher recruitment and retention across all subjects, including classics.The Department accepted in full the School Teachers’ Review Body’s recommendations for the 2023/24 pay award for teachers and leaders. This means that teachers and leaders in maintained schools will receive a pay award of 6.5%. This is the highest pay award for teachers in over thirty years. The award also delivers the manifesto commitment of a minimum £30,000 starting salary for school teachers in all regions in England, with a pay award of up to 7.1% for new teachers outside London.The Department has created an entitlement to at least three years of structured training, support and professional development for all new teachers, underpinned by Initial Teacher Training (ITT), the Core Content Framework (CCF) and the Early Career Framework (ECF). Together, these ensure that new teachers will benefit from at least three years of evidence based training, across ITT and into their induction.The Department reviews bursaries each year before deciding the offer for trainees starting ITT the following academic year. The bursaries are focused on subjects experiencing teacher shortages where schools are likely to devote the most teaching time. This ensures the Department is spending money where it is needed most. For 2022/23, classics exceeded its postgraduate initial teacher training (PGITT) target, reaching 193% of the target, compared to 150% of the target the previous year.While classics does not attract a bursary, the Department offers a £25,000 tax free bursary for languages, including ancient languages. Additionally, all trainees on a tuition fee funded course (including classics trainees) will be able to apply for a tuition fee loan and maintenance loan to support their living costs.

Educational Institutions: Domestic Visits

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which (a) maintained nurseries, (b) other early years education settings, (c) childminders, (d) other childcare providers, (e) primary schools, (f) secondary schools, (g) sixth-form colleges, (h) further education colleges and (j) universities outside the Chichester constituency she has visited since 25 October 2022; and if she will publish the (i) name, (ii) location, (iii) postcode and (iv) parliamentary constituency of each such establishment.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which (a) maintained nurseries, (b) other early years education settings, (c) childminders, (d) other childcare providers, (e) primary schools, (f) secondary schools and (g) sixth-form colleges outside the Bognor Regis and Littlehampton constituency the Minister of State for Schools has visited since 25 October 2022; and if she will publish the (i) name, (ii) location, (iii) postcode and (iv) parliamentary constituency of each such establishment.

Nick Gibb: The information is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. The Secretary of State and Ministers regularly travel across the country visiting educational institutions, including nurseries, schools, colleges and universities. The Department receives many requests for visits and visits settings across a broad geography, within the constraints of Departmental business and the Parliamentary timetable.

Coronavirus: Schools

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 30 June 2022 to Question 22411 on Coronavirus: Schools, whether she has provided guidance to schools on the findings of the Rapid Covid-19 Air Disinfection Study; if she will place a copy of the findings of that study in the Library; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: The Rapid Covid-19 Air Disinfection Study, which has been renamed the Bradford classroom air cleaning technology (class-ACT) trial, is a project looking at the implications and potential benefits of fitting schools with air cleaning technology. This trial was funded by the Department of Health and Social Care and managed through the UK Health Security Agency. The study is run from the Centre for Applied Education Research which is based at the Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in the UK. Officials from the Department for Education sat on the working group of the trial. The trial has concluded and the academic leads intend to make the results available by publishing in a peer reviewed journal in due course. As the results have not yet been published, no guidance has been provided. The Department recognises that good ventilation can reduce the spread of respiratory infections and has provided CO2 monitors to all eligible state funded settings in England. These monitors enable staff to identify areas where ventilation needs to be improved and provide reassurance that existing ventilation measures are working. This helps balance the need for good ventilation and keeping classrooms warm. The Department has also provided over 9,000 air cleaning units (ACUs) to over 1,300 settings that had sustained high CO2 readings of above 1500ppm. These ACUs work through high efficiency particulate air filter technology.

Queen Elizabeth High School

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what additional capital funding Queen Elizabeth High School, in the Northumberland local authority area of Hexham constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school which were rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what additional capital funding Skelton Primary School, in the Redcar and Cleveland local authority area of Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school which were rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what additional capital funding St Paul's Catholic Primary School, a voluntary academy in the Cheshire East local authority area of Macclesfield constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of the school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what additional capital funding Styal Primary School, in the Cheshire East local authority area of Tatton constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school which were rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what additional capital funding Wilmslow High School, in the Cheshire East local authority area of Tatton constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school which were rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what additional capital funding UTC Warrington, in the Warrington local authority area of Warrington South constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that college which were rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding Queen Elizabeth School, in the Cumbria local authority area of Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding Castle Park School, in the Cumbria local authority area of Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding Seaton Academy, in the Cumbria local authority area of Workington constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding Colne Valley High School, in the Kirklees local authority area of Colne Valley constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding Woodlands Academy, in the North Yorkshire local authority area of Scarborough and Whitby constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding Southfield School for Girls, in the Northamptonshire local authority area of Kettering constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of the school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding Redhill Primary School, in the Derbyshire local authority area of Mid Derbyshire constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding Allestree Woodlands School, in the Derby local authority area of Mid Derbyshire constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding Portway Junior School, in the Derby local authority area of Mid Derbyshire constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding Blackfordby St Margaret's Church of England Primary School, in the Leicestershire local authority area of North West Leicestershire constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding Kingsthorpe College, in the Northamptonshire local authority area of Northampton North constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that college rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding Catmose Primary, in the Rutland local authority area of Rutland and Melton constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding Gilmorton Chandler Church of England Primary School, in the Leicestershire local authority area of South Leicestershire constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding St Columba's Catholic Primary School, in the Birmingham local authority area of Birmingham, Northfield constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what additional capital funding Our Lady and St Werburgh's Catholic Primary School in the Staffordshire local authority area of Newcastle-under-Lyme constituency has received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school which were rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what additional capital funding Wigmore School in the Herefordshire local authority area of North Herefordshire constituency has received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school which were rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what additional capital funding Ashperton Primary Academy in the Herefordshire local authority area of North Herefordshire constituency has received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school which were rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what additional capital funding Burghill Community Academy in the Herefordshire local authority area of North Herefordshire constituency has received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school which were rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what additional capital funding Rugby High School in the Warwickshire local authority area of Rugby constituency has received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school which were rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what additional capital funding Lawrence Sheriff School in the Warwickshire local authority area of Rugby constituency has received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school which were rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what additional capital funding Cherry Trees School in the Staffordshire local authority area of South Staffordshire constituency has received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school which were rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what additional capital funding The Valley Primary School in the Staffordshire local authority area of Staffordshire Moorlands constituency has received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school which were rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what additional capital funding Leek High School in the Staffordshire local authority area of Staffordshire Moorlands constituency has received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school which were rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what additional capital funding Milton Primary Academy in the Stoke-on-Trent local authority area of Stoke-on-Trent Central constituency has received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school which were rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what additional capital funding Old Swinford Hospital School in the Dudley local authority area of Stourbridge constituency has received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school which were rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what additional capital funding Pershore High School in the Worcestershire local authority area of West Worcestershire constituency has received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school which were rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what additional capital funding Lickhill Primary School in the Worcestershire local authority area of Wyre Forest constituency has received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school which were rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what additional capital funding Roselands Primary School in the Hertfordshire local authority area of Broxbourne constituency has received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school which were rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what additional capital funding St George's School in the Hertfordshire local authority area of Hitchin and Harpenden constituency has received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school which were rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what additional capital funding Ramsden Hall Academy in the Essex local authority area of Maldon constituency has received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school which were rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what additional capital funding Sundon Lower School in the Central Bedfordshire local authority area of Mid Bedfordshire constituency has received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school which were rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what additional capital funding Henlow Church of England Academy in the Central Bedfordshire local authority area of North East Bedfordshire constituency has received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school which were rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what additional capital funding All Saints Interchurch Academy in the Cambridgeshire local authority area of North East Cambridgeshire constituency has received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school which were rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what additional capital funding John Clare Primary School in the Peterborough local authority area of North West Cambridgeshire constituency has received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school which were rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding Orton Wistow Primary School, in the Peterborough local authority area of North West Cambridgeshire constituency has received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding The Shade Primary School, in the Cambridgeshire local authority area of South East Cambridgeshire constituency has received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding Long Melford Church of England Primary School, in the Suffolk local authority area of South Suffolk constituency, has received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding Lancaster School, in the Southend-on-Sea local authority area of Southend West constituency, has received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding Eyke Church of England Primary School, in the Suffolk local authority area of Suffolk Coastal constituency, has received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding Aldeburgh Primary School, in the Suffolk local authority area of Suffolk Coastal constituency, has received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding Dilkes Academy, in the Thurrock local authority area of Thurrock constituency, has received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding Messing Primary School, in the Essex local authority area of Witham constituency, has received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what additional capital funding Messing Primary School, in the Essex local authority area of Witham constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school which were rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what additional capital funding Fulham Boys School, in the Hammersmith and Fulham local authority area of Chelsea and Fulham constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school which were rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what additional capital funding Chingford Foundation School, in the Waltham Forest local authority area of Chingford and Woodford Green constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school which were rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what additional capital funding Saracens High School, in the Barnet local authority area of Hendon constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school which were rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding Biggin Hill Primary School, in the Bromley local authority area of Orpington constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding Pinner High School, in the Harrow local authority area of Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding Cheam High School, in the Sutton local authority area of Sutton and Cheam constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding Avenue Primary Academy, in the Sutton local authority area of Sutton and Cheam constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding Homewood College, in the Brighton and Hove local authority area of Brighton, Pavilion constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding Brill Church of England School, in the Buckinghamshire local authority area of Buckingham constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding Chiltern Hills Academy, in the Buckinghamshire local authority area of Chesham and Amersham constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding Thomas Harding Junior School, in the Buckinghamshire local authority area of in the Chesham and Amersham constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding Dover Christ Church Academy, in the Kent local authority area of Dover constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding Barton Junior School, in the Kent local authority area of Dover constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding Amery Hill School, in the Hampshire local authority area of East Hampshire constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding Europa School UK, in the Oxfordshire local authority area of Henley constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding Northwood Primary School, in the Isle of Wight local authority area of Isle of Wight constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding Cuckmere House School, in the East Sussex local authority area of Lewes constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding Cranbrook School, in the Kent local authority area of Maidstone and The Weald constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding Allington Primary School, in the Kent local authority area of Maidstone and The Weald constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding Jubilee Primary School, in the Kent local authority area of Maidstone and The Weald constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding Fir Tree Primary School and Nursery, in the West Berkshire local authority area of Newbury constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding Rush Common School, in the Oxfordshire local authority area of Oxford West and Abingdon constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding Knole Academy, in the Kent local authority area of Sevenoaks constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding Ludlow Junior School, in the Southampton local authority area of Southampton, Itchen constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding Temple Grove Academy, in the Kent local authority area of Tunbridge Wells constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding Dedworth Middle School, in the Windsor and Maidenhead local authority area of Windsor constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding Aloeric Primary School, in the Wiltshire local authority area of Chippenham constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding SGS Pegasus School, in the South Gloucestershire local authority area of Filton and Bradley Stoke constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding Severnbanks Primary School, in the Gloucestershire local authority area of Forest of Dean constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding Canford Heath Junior School, in the Poole local authority area of Mid Dorset and North Poole constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding Brayford Academy, in the Devon local authority area of North Devon constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding Umberleigh Primary Academy, in the Devon local authority area of North Devon constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding Tor Bridge High, in the Plymouth local authority area of Plymouth, Moor View constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding St Martin's CofE Primary School, in the Cornwall local authority area of South East Cornwall constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding Stroud High School, in the Gloucestershire local authority area of Stroud constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding The Rosary Catholic Primary School, in the Gloucestershire local authority area of Stroud constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding Stone with Woodford Church of England Primary School, in the Gloucestershire local authority area of Stroud constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding Milton Park Primary School, in the North Somerset local authority area of Weston-super-Mare constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding Hutton Church of England Primary School, in the North Somerset local authority area of Weston-super-Mare constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much additional capital funding Walliscote Primary School, in the North Somerset local authority area of Weston-super-Mare constituency, received from the Government for the purposes of improving the condition of elements of that school rated 100% poor by the Condition Data Collection survey.

Nick Gibb: It is the responsibility of those who run schools - academy trusts, Local Authorities and voluntary aided school bodies - to manage the safety and maintenance of their schools and to alert the Department if there is a serious concern with a building. It has always been the case that where the Department is made aware of a building that may pose an immediate risk, immediate action is taken.The Department has committed £1.8 billion of capital funding for the 2023/24 financial year to improve the condition of school buildings, as part of over £15 billion allocated since 2015. In addition, the Department will transform poor condition buildings at 500 schools and sixth form colleges over the coming decade through the School Rebuilding Programme. A list of all schools selected for the programme is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-rebuilding-programme-schools-in-the-programme.It is important to note that it was only since 2010, and the subsequent introduction of the Priority School Rebuilding Programme, and its successors, that building condition was made the driver for schools to be chosen for rebuilding. Previous programmes, such as the Building Schools for the Future (BSF), prioritised rebuilding for non-condition related reasons. Furthermore, the inclusion of a school within BSF did not mean it necessarily addressed the presence of RAAC. Several schools now confirmed as containing RAAC through the Department’s questionnaire and surveying programme were refurbished under BSF.Local Authorities, larger multi academy trusts and larger voluntary aided bodies are eligible to receive an annual School Condition Allocation (SCA). It is for these responsible bodies to prioritise SCA across their schools based on local knowledge of the condition of their buildings. Smaller and stand alone academy trusts, small voluntary aided school bodies and sixth-form colleges are instead able to bid into the Condition Improvement Fund (CIF), an annual bidding round, to apply for funding for specific capital projects. Information on CIF and SCA eligible schools for the 2023/24 financial year is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/school-capital-funding#funding-allocations-for-the-2023-to-2024-financial-year.Applications to the CIF are robustly assessed against the published criteria, prioritising need, and feedback is provided on unsuccessful applications. All successful CIF bids are published here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/condition-improvement-fund.The Condition Data Collection (CDC) programme was the first ever comprehensive survey of the school estate. Previous administrations did not have consistent national data to understand the condition of the school estate. The survey, which ran from 2017-19, under which approximately 22,000 government funded schools and 250 further education establishments in England were visited, allowed the Department to understand the condition of the school and further education college estate and informed capital funding and programmes. Allocations to improve the condition of schools take into account consistent data from the Condition Data Collection (CDC1) to ensure funding is weighted to reflect the relative condition of school buildings. The Condition Data Collection 2 is in progress to collect updated data on the condition of schools in England. Reports from the programmes are shared with schools and responsible bodies to help inform their plans, alongside their own condition surveys and checks.Schools also receive funding to spend on their capital priorities or to contribute to larger projects through an annual Devolved Formula Capital allocation (DFC). Details of SCA and DFC allocations for the current financial year are available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/school-capital-funding#funding-allocations-for-the-2022-to-2023-financial-year. Allocations for previous years are available at: https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/*/https:/www.gov.uk/government/publications/capital-allocations.Where the Department is alerted to significant safety issues with a building that cannot be managed with local resources, the Department provides additional support on a case by case basis. CIF eligible schools can apply for urgent capital support at any time in the year, if they have urgent building issues that need to be addressed. The Department also provides extensive guidance for responsible bodies to help them manage their estates effectively through resources such as the Good Estate Management for Schools guidance.The Department will always put the safety and wellbeing of children and staff in education settings at the heart of its policy decisions.

After School Clubs: Science

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to increase the provision of science-specific after-school clubs in state sector schools.

Nick Gibb: The Department is committed to ensuring that pupils have access to high quality extracurricular opportunities. These opportunities are an important part of a rich educational experience and can help pupils with their emotional and social development. Schools are best placed to understand and meet the needs of their pupils and have the flexibility to decide what range of extracurricular activities to offer. Both the pupil premium and recovery premium can be used to fund enrichment activities. In March 2022, the Department updated its guidance to make this clear to schools; schools can choose how they wish to use this funding in line with a menu of approaches. The Department supports a range of initiatives to expand access to high quality extracurricular activities. For example, the Department works with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to offer the Duke of Edinburgh’s (DofE) Award to all state secondary schools in England. Schools can also encourage young people to take part in the British Science Association’s flagship programme, the CREST Awards scheme. This is the UK’s largest national award scheme for project work in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects. It aims to inspire young people by providing science enrichment activities to inspire and engage five to nineteen year olds.

Pupils: Transgender People

Sir John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 19 September 2023 to Question 198597 on Pupils: Transgender People, what external bodies she has met in the preparation of guidance on transgender pupils in schools.

Nick Gibb: The Department engages with external bodies on a regular basis, and a number of these conversations have related to the guidance that the Department is developing for schools and colleges on gender questioning pupils. The Department will be undertaking a full public consultation on the draft guidance prior to publication, and will continue to engage with a range of stakeholders throughout this process.

Classics: State Education

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to promote the study of classical languages in state sector schools.

Nick Gibb: To encourage the study of classics in state schools in England, the Department launched a £3.9 million Latin Excellence Programme (LEP) in September 2022. The LEP is delivered by the National Centre of Excellence and run by Future Academies, which is a multi academy trust based in London.The aim of the LEP is to improve pupils’ attainment through increased access to, and uptake of, a GCSE in Latin, whilst also contributing to pupils’ broader classics education. The National Centre of Excellence works with 40 schools across the country to support high quality Key Stage 3 and 4 teaching, using a common curriculum which teachers will be trained to deliver by the Centre.

Schools: Transport

Mary Kelly Foy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to her Department's statutory guidance for local authorities on Travel to school for children of compulsory school age, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of amending the eligibility criteria for a child over eight years old to access free travel to their nearest suitable school from 3 to 1.5 miles from their home.

Mary Kelly Foy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to her Department's statutory guidance for local authorities on Travel to school for children of compulsory school age, what criteria her Department uses to determine whether a walking route is safe for the purposes of access to free school travel.

Nick Gibb: The Department’s school travel policy aims to make sure no pupil is prevented from accessing education by a lack of transport. Local Authorities must arrange free home to school travel for pupils of compulsory school age who attend their nearest school and live more than the statutory walking distance from it. The statutory walking distance is two miles for pupils aged under eight and three miles for those aged eight or over. The Department does not have any plans to amend the statutory walking distance, but pupils will also be eligible for free travel if they live within the statutory walking distance and would not be able to walk to school because of their special educational needs, disability or mobility problem, or because the nature of the route means it would be unsafe for them to do so. In addition, there are extended rights to free home to school travel for pupils who are eligible for free school meals or who live with a parent that claims the maximum amount of working tax credit. Pupils aged eight or over, but under eleven, may have free travel to their nearest school if it is more than two miles from their home. Pupils aged eleven to sixteen may have free travel to one of their three nearest schools, provided it is between two and six miles from their home, or to a school that their parents have chosen on the grounds of their religion or belief that is between two and fifteen miles from their home. Local Authorities are responsible for assessing route safety to determine whether a pupil is eligible for free home to school travel. Local knowledge is likely to be important and the Department does not have a role in these decisions. The Department’s guidance explains that Local Authorities should consider a range of risks such as canals, rivers, ditches, speed of traffic and fields of vision for the pedestrian and motorist.

Pupil Premium: Solihull

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many pupils in Solihull constituency were entitled to the pupil premium in the last academic year.

Nick Gibb: The Government provides additional funding through the Pupil Premium to support disadvantaged pupils. The Pupil Premium rates have increased by 5% for 2023/24, which takes the total Pupil Premium funding to almost £2.9 billion nationally.As of June 2023, 3,521 pupils attending schools in the Solihull constituency were eligible for Pupil Premium, equating to £4,418,980 in funding. The Department publishes Pupil Premium allocations, including at constituency level, here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pupil-premium-allocations-and-conditions-of-grant-2023-to-2024.

Higher Education: Student Wastage

Matt Western: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of trends in the level of non-continuation rates at higher education institutions; and whether her Department has analysed the reasons for the proportions of students who do not complete degree courses; and if she will make a statement.

Robert Halfon: Figures on non-continuation following year one of entry to higher education (HE) are published by the Higher Education Statistics Agency for full-time first-degree entrants starting courses between 2015/16 and 2019/20. Further information is available in Table T3 at: https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/performance-indicators/non-continuation.More recent information on continuation rates (which are the inverse of non-continuation) for first year full-time degree entrants entering HE are published by the Office for Students (OfS). This is available at: https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/data-and-analysis/access-and-participation-data-dashboard/data-dashboard/.For further information on the percentage of students that dropped out of the first year of their university course between 2015 and 2023, I refer the hon. Member for Warwick and Leamington to the answers of 13 September to Questions 197774 and 197775.Limited sources of research are available highlighting reasons for non-continuation for students within HE. However, some older research covering this issue was released in 2014 and is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/learning-from-futuretrack-dropout-from-higher-education.This study suggests that most students who drop out of university cite ‘personal’ reasons, while others say they have decided they do not want to go to university.The government believes every student should receive education of high quality, equipping them for future careers. Continuation rates are an important indicator of quality, alongside completion and progression to professional employment or further study. Since October 2022, the OfS has monitored whether HE courses at registered providers are meeting new minimum thresholds for student outcomes, including course continuation and completion rates, as part of the B3 condition of registration. The OfS examines the data to identify courses which fail to meet the minimum expected standards for student outcomes. It has launched 18 investigations to consider whether there have been breaches of condition B3 and we expect the results to be published in the near future. These investigations consider the reasons for providers' data. On 17 July, we announced a package of reforms aimed at improving the quality of HE provision across the sector. The Prime Minister said then, and in his speech to the Conservative Party Conference, that the government will stop universities offering low value ‘rip-off degrees’.

Students: Cost of Living

Matt Western: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of (a) changes in the level of the cost of living for students in the (i) last and (ii) next 12 months and (b) the rate of inflation for students.

Robert Halfon: The government recognises the additional cost of living pressures that have arisen this year which have impacted students. The Government publishes Equality Impact Assessments of changes to student finance each year. More information can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/higher-education-student-finance-2023-to-2024-equality-analysis.The department has not directly assessed the impact of changes in the cost of living on higher education (HE) students, but closely monitors the evidence produced by other organisations and uses this to inform decision-making. For example, the Office of National Statistics (ONS) published research from interviews with students named ‘ONS student voices research’ and Wonkhe, along with Pearson, have published research on connections between students' financial struggles, wellbeing, and academic progress titled ‘Financial struggles make it harder for students to connect and engage in their university community’. A link to the latter publication can be found here: https://wonkhe.com/blogs/financial-struggles-make-it-harder-for-students-to-connect-and-engage-in-their-university-community/.Having considered reports such as these, the department has made available £276 million of Student Premium and Mental Health funding for the 2023/24 academic year, to support students who need additional help including disadvantaged students. This funding will complement the help universities are providing through their own bursary, scholarship and hardship support schemes.We have frozen maximum tuition fees for the 2023/24 and 2024/25 academic years to deliver better value for students and to keep the cost of higher education under control. By 2024/25, maximum fees will have been frozen for seven years.Additionally, the Government has continued to increase living costs support each year with a 2.8% increase for the 2023/24 academic year. Decisions on student finance had to be taken alongside other spending priorities to ensure the system remains financially sustainable and the costs of HE is shared fairly between students and taxpayers, not all of whom have benefited from going to university.The government is considering options for loans and grants for living and other costs for the 2024/25 academic year and will be making an announcement in due course.

Schools: Buildings

Stephanie Peacock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent estimate her Department has made of the number of school buildings impacted by reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) in each region of England.

Nick Gibb: An updated list of schools and colleges with confirmed cases of RAAC was published on 19 October, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reinforced-autoclaved-aerated-concrete-raac-management-information. This will be updated on a regular basis as new buildings are identified and surveying and remediation are carried out.

Music: Teachers

Barbara Keeley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many secondary school music teachers left the teaching profession in the period between (a) 2010 and 2015, (b) 2015 and 2020 and (c) 2020 and 2023.

Barbara Keeley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many primary school music teachers left the teaching profession in the period between (a) 2010 and 2015, (b) 2015 and 2020 and (c) 2020 and 2023.

Nick Gibb: Information on the number of teachers leaving state-funded schools and the number of teachers by subject in state-funded secondary schools in England are published in the ‘School Workforce in England’ national statistic available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england.In the year to November 2022, the full time equivalent (FTE) of 43,997 qualified teachers left the state-funded sector in England, while 47,954 qualified teachers joined.The latest available data shows that in November 2022, the latest data available, there were 7,184 FTE teachers teaching music in state-funded secondary schools, a slight increase from 7,003 in the previous year.Full-time equivalent (FTE) teachers1 of music in state-funded secondary schools 2011/12 to 2022/23 Number of teachers of all years2011/128,0432012/137,4322013/147,2682014/157,1092015/166,8622016/176,7202017/186,4802018/196,5252019/206,5432020/216,8372021/227,0032022/237,184 Source: School Workforce Census, published at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/94487fba-1bd5-4bef-b77d-08dbd08e1875  1: Teachers were counted once against each subject and key stage they taught, irrespective of the time spent teaching. The requested figures for music teachers leaving the teaching profession are not available.The quality of teaching remains the single most important factor in improving outcomes for children, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds. The Department plans to update the Teacher Recruitment and Retention Strategy, originally published in 2019, and build on existing reforms to ensure every child has an excellent teacher, including in music. The strategy update will reflect progress in delivering these reforms, and set out priorities for the coming years.For those starting initial teacher training in music in the 2024/25 academic year, the Department is offering £10,000 tax-free bursaries. This should attract more music teachers into the profession and support schools in delivering at least one hour of music lessons a week.The Government will also be placing a stronger emphasis on teacher development as part of the Music Hub programme in the future, including peer-to-peer support through new Lead Schools in every Hub.

Schools: CPR

Jonathan Gullis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department holds a record of the number of people in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools that have been trained to administer CPR.

Nick Gibb: All state funded schools in England are required to teach first aid as part of statutory health education which includes basic first aid. Pupils in secondary schools are taught further first aid, such as how to administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the purpose of defibrillators. Schools may also incorporate further CPR and defibrillator awareness and training materials as part of the wider curriculum.As part of the Ofsted assessment of a school’s support for pupils’ personal development, inspectors make a professional judgement on whether the school is providing appropriate and effective teaching in the range of curriculum subjects, including Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE). Schools are accountable for what they teach and should ensure that all RSHE content is factual, age appropriate and suitable for their pupils. As part of their personal development judgement, inspectors would discuss with schools whether they teach RSHE content in line with the RSHE statutory guidance.To complement teaching on CPR, in July 2022, the Government committed to ensuring that all state funded schools in England have access to a defibrillator. This programme is now completed. Through this programme the Department provided over 20,000 defibrillators to almost 18,000 schools across England.

Special Educational Needs: Finance

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of trends in the number of local authority section 114 notices on the (a) availability and (b) quality of provision for children with SEND in (i) affected local authority areas and (ii) more broadly.

David Johnston: Councils are responsible for their own finances and the decision to issue a Section 114 notice is one taken locally. Whilst the department has not made a formal assessment of the impact of Section 114 notices on the availability and quality of provision for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), it is important to note that where a notice is issued, the performance of statutory functions, including statutory functions relating to SEND provision must continue, and that local services can be improved by the intervention and support that follows.

Special Educational Needs

Matt Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department is taking steps to increase the reach of the Nuffield Early Language Intervention programme for the purposes of supporting covid-19 education recovery.

Matt Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Nuffield Early Language Intervention programme.

Matt Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many schools have signed up to the Nuffield Early Language Intervention programme as of 13 October 2023.

Matt Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps the Government is taking to promote the uptake of the Nuffield Early Language Intervention programme by state primary schools.

Nick Gibb: The Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI) programme, part of the Department’s education recovery response, has played an important role in improving children’s language and communication skills following the COVID-19 pandemic.In September 2023, the Education Endowment Foundation published an independent evaluation of the programme’s effects in 2021/22. This demonstrated that children who received the programme made the equivalent of four months’ progress in language skills, on average, compared to children who did not receive NELI. Pupils eligible for free school meals made additional progress on average of seven months.Since the programme was launched in 2020, just over 11,100 schools (over two thirds of all primaries) have signed up to deliver NELI. To increase the reach of the programme, the Department has confirmed it will be funding all registered schools to continue delivering the programme in the 2023/24 academic year. To promote uptake, the delivery partner will be engaging all registered schools through a mixture of regular communications, support, and targeted outreach.

Home Education: Registration and Regulation

Munira Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to (a) introduce a national register of children education at home and (b) provide (i) Ofsted with additional powers to investigate suspected illegal settings and (ii) prosecutors the power to shut settings down where appropriate; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: The Government remains committed to introducing statutory Local Authority registers for children not in school, as well as a duty for Local Authorities to provide support to home educating families. The Department will legislate for these at a future suitable opportunity, to support Local Authorities to undertake their existing duties to ensure that all children receive a suitable education and are safe, regardless of where they are educated.Since 2016, the Department and Ofsted have worked successfully with the Crown Prosecution Services to secure criminal convictions against those responsible for five settings that were operating illegally as schools. The Government has recognised the need to improve powers to investigate and act against such settings. The Department remains committed to legislating for these powers at a future suitable opportunity.

Teachers: Training

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of teachers accredited by initial teacher training (ITT) providers in the academic years (a) 2019-20, (b) 2020-21, (c) 2021-22 and (d) 2022-23 will be accredited to deliver ITT courses in academic year 2024-25.

Nick Gibb: The number of places and trainees changes each year. The table below shows the number of initial teacher training (ITT) providers and total new entrants to ITT over the past four years.YearNumber of ITT providersTotal number of ITT new entrants2019/2023733,7992020/2123640,3772021/2223436,1592022/2322628,991 179 providers have been accredited to deliver reformed ITT from September 2024, following an accreditation process designed to drive up the quality and consistency of ITT leading to Qualified Teacher Status. This number includes 155 existing ITT providers. Together, these providers will cover all regions of the country. Where appropriate, the Department is encouraging accredited providers to consider partnering with those who were unsuccessful in gaining accreditation to bring together high-quality provision with local expertise, connections and experience.The Department will continue to monitor the availability of provision across England to ensure that the ITT market is ready and able to deliver teacher training programmes in every part of the country from September 2024.

Free School Meals: St Leonard's Catholic School

Mary Kelly Foy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to provide additional funding for children in receipt of free school meals at St Leonard's School in County Durham.

Nick Gibb: For 2023/24, the National Funding Formula has allocated £480 annually on the basis of the number of pupils who are eligible for free school meals (FSM) through the ‘FSM factor’. The meal rate for universal infant FSM in 2023/24 has increased to £2.53. This represents an increase of 5% and brings funding in line with wider FSM for the first time.The Department recognises the cost pressures that some schools and suppliers may be facing. The Department is holding regular meetings with other Government Departments and with food industry representatives, covering a variety of issues including public sector food supplies.The Department is aware that the catering provision at St Leonard’s School has been closed due to the areas containing RAAC and will cover additional costs relating to the provision of FSM as a consequence of RAAC.

Pupils: Absenteeism

Munira Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children have been out of school for one year or longer as a result of not having been able to find a setting that meets their needs.

Munira Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children identified as having special educational needs and disabilities have been out of school for one year or longer as a result of not having been able to find a setting that meets their needs.

Nick Gibb: The Department collects data about children who are not in a school but being taught in another setting, such as pupil referral units or at home, through the Alternative Provision census and the Elective Home Education collection. The latest data on children in Alternative Provision, including those with Special Educational Needs (SEN), is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-pupils-and-their-characteristics. The latest data about children in Elective Home Education, including those with SEN, is available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/children-missing-education. The Department also collects data about children missing education, who are not registered at school or otherwise receiving suitable education, from Local Authorities on a voluntary basis. The latest published figures, which include the proportion of children with SEN, can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/children-missing-education. Data is not available on how long children have spent in these arrangements.

Horizon Europe: Universities

Matt Western: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact on the finances of universities of not having participated in the Horizon programme for two years.

Matt Western: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact on the (a) finances and (b) reputation of individual universities of not having participated in the Horizon programme for two years; and if she will publish details of the 10 most affected universities.

Robert Halfon: The government has maintained a lifeline for UK researchers and businesses, by guaranteeing the funding of bids into the Horizon Europe programme.The Horizon Europe Guarantee scheme has meant no UK researchers have been left out of pocket. It has issued over 2,600 grant offers worth £1.39 billion to the end of September 2023.On 7 September 2023 my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced a new UK- EU agreement on the UK’s association to Horizon Europe. This means that UK businesses and researchers can participate confidently in the world’s largest programme of research cooperation. Information on the UK’s Horizon Deal can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/overwhelming-support-for-uks-horizon-deal.The Office for Students (OfS) is the independent regulator for the higher education sector in England, and is responsible for monitoring and reporting on its financial sustainability. The Secretary of State, departmental officials and I continue to work closely with the OfS and various parties including mission groups, providers, and other government departments as appropriate, to understand the ongoing impacts and changing landscape of financial sustainability in the sector.

School Rebuilding Programme

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to outline the (a) financial management and (b) project oversight arrangements for school construction work funded through the school rebuilding programme.

Nick Gibb: The Department will transform 500 schools through its School Rebuilding Programme (SRP), prioritising buildings in the poorest condition and those with evidence of potential safety issues. The funding for each project selected into the SRP is determined when the scope of works is confirmed, and procurement of a contractor is complete, with budgets for each individual project reviewed and agreed by technical advisors within the Department. Contract values for each project, once confirmed, are available at: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Search. Project oversight arrangements during delivery of each project sits with the programme. Each project has a multi-disciplinary team driving the various stages of delivery, overseen by department officials. Specific project details, including timelines, are not routinely published, but are communicated to all stakeholders regularly. The programme overall is subject to robust and regular scrutiny from Government Major Programme and Projects, and the Infrastructure Projects Authority.

Higher Education: Aviation

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she made an assessment of the potential impact on university (a) finances and (b) research of the proposed new taxes on air travel before the Prime Minister announced on 20 September 2023 that this proposal would not go ahead.

Robert Halfon: The Secretary of State has not made a direct assessment of the potential impact on university (a) finances and (b) research of the proposed new taxes on air travel before the Prime Minister announced on 20 September 2023 that this proposal would not go ahead.The Office for Students (OfS) is the independent regulator for the higher education sector in England, and is responsible for monitoring and reporting on its financial sustainability. The Secretary of State, departmental officials and I continue to work closely with the OfS and various parties including mission groups, providers, and other government departments as appropriate, to understand the ongoing impacts and changing landscape of financial sustainability in the sector.

School Meals: Meat

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she made an assessment of the potential impact on school (a) finances and (b) meals of the proposed tax on meat products before the Prime Minister announced on 20 September 2023 that this proposal would not go ahead.

Nick Gibb: The Department has not previously produced an impact assessment of the effect on schools of the recommendation for a meat tax from the Committee on Climate Change. The Prime Minister reconfirmed the Government's position on this issue when he set out his vision for taking a pragmatic and proportionate approach to reaching net zero by 2050, in a way that avoids imposing significant costs on working people while still meeting international commitments.

Overseas Students: Visas

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the change in the cost of visa fees for students from 4 October 2023 on the effectiveness of the Government's international education strategy; and if she will make a statement.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the change in the cost of visa fees for students from 4 October 2023 on the number of international students studying in the UK (a) in total and (b) by (i) university and (ii) country of citizenship; and if she will make a statement.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the change in the cost of visa fees for students from 4 October 2023 on the (a) financial sustainability and (b) resilience of higher education institutions; and if she will make a statement.

Robert Halfon: The UK is home to some of the world’s top universities, who benefit from strong international ties. We have educated 55 current and recent world leaders and have four out of the top 10 universities globally.The Government has been successful in delivering our International Education Strategy ambition of hosting at least 600,000 students per year by 2030 for the last two years, and fully expects that the UK will continue to be an attractive destination for international students.The Government is increasing fees across a range of immigration routes, including for people coming here to live, work and study. It is the Government’s policy that those who use and benefit most from the immigration system should contribute towards the cost of operating the system, reducing the burden on the UK taxpayer. This will in turn, allow more funding to be prioritised elsewhere in the Home Office.Our visa fees are broadly competitive when compared with the fees charge by comparative countries globally and there is little evidence that fee increases to date have significantly affected demand on work, study and tourism routes.

Oak National Academy

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to ImpactEd's evaluation report on Oak National Academy published August 2023, what directions she has given to the directors appointed by her Department to Oak on the academy's future work programme.

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to ImpactEd's evaluation report on Oak National Academy published August 2023, what assessment she has made of the value for money represented by (a) expenditure to date and (b) planned future expenditure on Oak National Academy; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: As an arm’s length body, Oak National Academy is strategically aligned with, but operationally independent from the Department for Education. Oak’s Framework document, agreed between the Department and Oak National Academy, sets out the governance framework within which Oak and the Department operate, as well as Oak’s core responsibilities.Oak will continue to work with teachers across the country, enabling access to high quality digital curriculum resources which are free, optional, and adaptable. These optional resources will be available across the UK, helping teachers deliver a high quality curriculum, whilst also reducing teacher workload.Oak has received government funding through the Department for the duration of this spending review period (2022-2025). Oak’s strategic goals for this period can be found within their published strategy document, which is available at: https://sanity-asset-cdn.thenational.academy/files/cuvjke51/production/13406956f18d87d1e213b4e7e8854abb7db64bc9.pdf.The Department provides a strategic steer to Oak by way of the Chair’s letter. This, along with the strategy document and Framework Agreement, is published on the Oak website here: https://www.thenational.academy/about-us/board.The Government has set aside up to £43 million between 2022-2025 to support Oak National Academy, a significant proportion of which will be provided directly to schools, publishers, and other organisations for the creation of resources on behalf of Oak.As an integral part of the process to set up Oak National Academy as an arm’s length body the Department carefully considered the scope and minimum viable funding that will enable the arm’s length body to deliver its vital objectives and provide value for money. This assessment is outlined in the business case published in November 2022.In the 2022/23 academic year, the independent evaluation carried out by ImpactEd found that Oak National Academy continues to have a positive impact on workload, curriculum and wellbeing, with around 30,000 teachers and 102,000 pupils using Oak each week on average.As part of the wider Public Bodies Review Programme, Oak’s progress, including value for money will be factored into its two year review. The date of the next review will be in 2024 and will act as a checkpoint to ensure the body is operating effectively and efficiently.

Sir Frederick Gibberd College

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has had recent discussions with the Minister for Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education on the closure of Sir Frederick Gibberd College's main school building and sports hall block.

Robert Halfon: I continue to work closely with the trust and local authority to ensure all pupils at Sir Frederick Gibberd College receive an excellent education in a safe and secure environment.All pupils have returned to face-to-face education, and we are working at pace to deliver long term solutions as soon as possible. I have had regular discussions with the Minister for the School System and Student Finance about the school, and with staff and department officials.

Ofqual: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much Ofqual spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much Ofsted spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much the Education and Skills Funding Agency spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much the Standards and Testing Agency spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much the Teaching Regulation Agency spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much the Construction Industry Training Board spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much LocatED spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much the Oak National Academy spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much the Office for Students spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much the Office of the Children's Commissioner spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much Social Work England spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much the Student Loans Company spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much the School Teachers' Review Body spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much the Independent Review Mechanism spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much the Office of the Schools Adjudicator spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Nick Gibb: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all Equality, Diversity and Inclusion spending in the Civil Service. The audit forms part of the Government’s drive to improve productivity across the public sector by reducing waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.

Remote Education: Mental Health

Helen Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department is taking steps to protect the mental health of children forced to learn remotely while their schools undergo building works to remove reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete.

David Johnston: The Department’s priority will always be to ensure the safety of pupils and staff, which is why a precautionary approach has been taken to ask schools to vacate spaces known to contain RAAC until mitigations are put in place. The Department is working at pace to identify RAAC in every school and college in England, to ensure settings are supported and children are safe. All schools where RAAC is confirmed are provided with a dedicated caseworker to support them and help implement a mitigation plan and minimise the disruption to children’s learning. Project delivery, property and technical experts will be on hand to support schools to put face-to-face education measures in place. The Department will fund emergency mitigation work needed to make buildings safe, including installing alternative classroom space where necessary. Longer-term refurbishment projects, or rebuilding projects will also be funded where these are needed, to rectify the RAAC issue in the long term. The guidance for education settings with confirmed RAAC in their buildings makes clear that schools should consider educational, safeguarding and wellbeing impacts for pupils before taking any mitigating actions and do their best to minimise the amount and length of any disruption to education, with support from their caseworker. The guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reinforced-autoclaved-aerated-concrete-guidance-for-responsible-bodies-and-education-settings-with-confirmed-raac. It is expected that schools and colleges affected by RAAC will still be able to deliver face-to-face, high-quality education to all pupils other than in exceptional circumstances. Where schools do need to deliver education remotely, they are likely to already have established plans in place that have worked well for them, including through the Covid-19 pandemic. The Department has produced guidance to support schools to provide high-quality remote education, which is available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1136309/Providing_remote_education_non-statutory_guidance_for_schools.pdf#:~:text=Provision%20of%20remote%20education%20should%20be%20made%20as,may%20require%20additional%20support%20to%20continue%20their%20education. This recommends that schools have an understanding that children can be at risk of harm inside and outside of the school, inside and outside of home and online, and having systems for checking, daily, whether pupils are safe at home and engaging with their remote education. To help schools in doing that, the Department has brought together various sources of government support available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/mental-health-and-wellbeing-support-in-schools-and-colleges.

Students: Housing

Matt Western: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the provision of on-campus accommodation at higher education institutions for this academic year; and if she will publish details of institutions at which there is insufficient supply of such accommodation.

Robert Halfon: As universities and landlords are private, autonomous bodies, the government has no role in the provision of student accommodation, nor a remit to intervene in how it is allocated.We expect universities and private landlords to review their accommodation policies to ensure they are fair, clear, and have the interests of students at heart. This includes making accommodation available at a range of affordable price points where possible.The department cares about the experience of students in their accommodation and has created three landlord Codes of Practice to ensure standards are maintained and students have a route for any complaint.

Transgender People: Pupils

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when she plans to publish guidance for schools on supporting trans pupils.

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to publish guidance for schools on issues relating to transgender pupils.

Nick Gibb: The Department recognises that issues relating to sex and gender can be complex and sensitive for schools to navigate, which is why the Department is working with the Minister for Women and Equalities to develop guidance to support schools and colleges in relation to children who are questioning their gender.It is vital that the guidance published gives clarity for schools and colleges, and reassurance for parents. The Department is taking the necessary time to ensure that it reflects the best possible advice before publishing the draft.It is important that the Department is able to consider a wide range of views in order to get the guidance right. The Department has, therefore, committed to holding a public consultation on the draft guidance prior to publication.

Higher Education: Buildings

Sarah Owen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department is taking steps to assess the safety of (a) university and (b) other higher education buildings.

Robert Halfon: The higher education (HE) sector is independent from Government and it is therefore for individual providers to determine and address any estate issues. The Government has liaised with a number of HE sector representative groups to communicate with HE providers about the relevant guidance from the Institution of Structural Engineers.

Unit for Future Skills

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what meetings the Unit for Future Skills has held with external stakeholders in the last 12 months.

Robert Halfon: Since its launch in May 2022, the Unit for Future Skills (UFS) has proactively set out to be outward facing and has met and worked with a wide variety of stakeholders across the skills system. As well as working across government departments to bring together data and evidence, the team have liaised with research and academic organisations, businesses and employer groups, training providers and local government.The UFS External Advisory Group, chaired by Sir Ian Diamond, National Statistician, meets every quarter to provide challenge and external views to the UFS’s work, as well as expert support and guidance. The group has nine members including representatives from the West Midland Combined Authority, Unifrog, LinkedIn, Universities UK, the Association of Colleges, British Chamber of Commerce, the British Academy and two expert academics. The UFS also runs quarterly meetings with members of the devolved administrations who are working on similar skills and data issues.The UFS regularly discusses its findings at the Department of Education’s Business meeting, involving MakeUK, the Federation of Small Businesses, British Chambers of Commerce and the Institute for Directors.The UFS engages with target users on the development of its products. For example, the team set up working groups with Employer Representative Bodies to support in the development of the local skills dashboard.The team also regularly meets with a variety of stakeholders on a one-to-one basis, as well as through events and conferences, including businesses and employer representative bodies, academics and research organisations, training providers and local and regional skills bodies.

Schools: Cadets

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the average Ofsted status was of schools with Combined Cadet Force contingents in 2023.

Nick Gibb: The Government committed £50 million of London Interbank Offered Rate funding to the Cadet Expansion Programme to increase the number of Cadet Units in schools across the UK to 500 by April 2020. Having achieved this target, the Department for Education and Ministry of Defence are continuing to work on the Government's ambition to increase the number of cadets in schools to 60,000 by April 2024.Cadets have access to a broad range of youth activities, which are undertaken in a safe and controlled environment. These experiences can help develop qualities such as loyalty and respect, self confidence, teamwork, and resilience which helps cadets achieve excellence and shape their own future. Schools that have set up Cadet Units have also reported a range of benefits, including improvement in attendance, attainment, commitment and relationships between staff and students.Ofsted grades for the 275 state funded schools with cadet units are below. There are three schools that do not have Ofsted grades as at 31 December 2022. Ofsted GradeNumber of state funded schools with an Ofsted grade with cadets % of the overall gradeOutstanding6022%Good16359%Requires improvement3914%Inadequate135%  Ofsted Statistics as at 31 December 2022

Special Educational Needs

Helen Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 7 September 2023 to Question 196433 on Special Educational Needs, if she will announce a timescale for when her Department expects to review the transparency of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information Reports.

David Johnston: The department is exploring how the role of Information Reports could be developed as part of our work to implement the Improvement Plan.

Food Technology: Finance

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to page 204 of the White Paper on Levelling up the United Kingdom, CP604, published on 2 February 2022, how much funding she plans to provide for food technology lessons in each of the next three years; what steps she is taking to support the Government's aim of all children leaving secondary school knowing at least six recipes to support healthy living; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: Government funding has been allocated to the Oak National Academy to create food and nutrition lesson content. Work is underway for this to be produced as part of their wider scheme of work in design, technology and food. As part of this, Oak is developing support to ensure that all children are excited about cooking and experimenting with different foods and new ingredients in the classroom so that they leave school being able to cook six meals that will support healthy lifestyles. A design and technology subject expert has been appointed and Oak will begin to start their work on producing curriculum materials in the coming months. By using an existing, established route for developing curriculum content, this will ensure coherence with the rest of the curriculum materials that Oak is developing, presenting support for schools and value for money for taxpayers. In addition, as part of the Department’s wider support for food in schools, the Department is offering bursaries of £25,000 for design and technology teachers, including those teaching food.

Schools: Recycling

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she had taken to implement plans for schools to have seven separate bins before the Prime Minister announced on 20 September 2023 that this policy would not go ahead.

Nick Gibb: The Department for Education had not taken any steps to implement plans for schools to have an increased number of bins. The new Simpler Recycling policy will ensure that Local Authorities and other waste collectors retain the flexibility to collect the recyclable waste streams in the most appropriate way for the schools that they service.In the Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy for the education system the Department has set out its commitment to supporting schools in their alignment with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Resources and Waste Strategy to reduce all waste, moving away from single use items and towards re-usable alternatives, wherever possible.The Department will support schools to establish climate action plans, which will set out the action they will take to enable greater sustainability in how their setting operates, including waste management.

Financial Services: Secondary Education

Jerome Mayhew: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to improve financial education in secondary schools.

Nick Gibb: Financial education forms a compulsory part of the National Curriculum for mathematics (at Key Stages 1 to 4) and citizenship (at Key stages 3 and 4), which together cover important financial topics including personal budgeting, saving for the future, managing credit and debt, and calculating interest. The National Curriculum is compulsory for maintained schools but academies must teach a broad and balanced curriculum, including mathematics. The National Curriculum can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/national-curriculum.The Prime Minister recently announced more investment in secondary mathematics, and that mathematics will be studied by all 16 to 18 year olds as part of the new Advanced British Standard qualification.As with all aspects of the curriculum, schools have flexibility over how they deliver financial education, so they can develop an approach that is sensitive to the needs and background of their pupils.There is a wide range of support for financial education. For example, the Money and Pensions Service has published guidance, setting out how schools can improve the financial education they deliver, and signposting to services and resources that can help. The guidance can be found here: https://maps.org.uk/en/publications/research/2021/financial-education-guidance-for-primary-and-secondary-schools-in-england.The Department’s national network of 40 Maths Hubs also supports schools to improve their mathematics teaching, including financial content in the mathematics curriculum, based on best practice from East Asia.The Oak National Academy, which became an independent Arm’s Length Body in September 2022, will provide adaptable, optional and free support for schools, reducing teacher workload and enabling pupils to access a high quality curriculum. New Oak curriculum materials, including for mathematics, will start be available from autumn 2023, with full curriculum packages available by summer 2024. Oak’s next phase of procurement of curriculum resources is expected to launch in late 2023 and will include citizenship.

National Curriculum Tests

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the use of SATs to track the educational progress of primary school children.

Nick Gibb: Primary assessments play a crucial role in supporting pupils’ basic understanding of reading, writing and mathematics, and in preparing pupils for secondary school. They allow parents and schools to understand pupils’ achievements in relation to the age related attainment expectations outlined in the National Curriculum. As set out in the Bew Report and the Government consultation document on primary assessment and accountability, the test and teacher assessment outcomes are also used to hold schools to account for the attainment and progress made by their pupils. In addition, the data enables benchmarking between schools, as well as monitoring of performance locally and nationally. The Bew Report is accessible here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/independent-review-of-key-stage-2-testing-assessment-and-accountability-final-report. The Government consultation outcome is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/new-national-curriculum-primary-assessment-and-accountability. In 2017, the Department carried out a consultation into primary assessment in England, with the aim of creating effective and settled policy in this area. The consultation received over 4,000 responses from a diverse range of backgrounds and specialisms, providing a broad and informed range of views. The Government response was published in September 2017, and can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/primary-school-pupil-assessment-rochford-review-recommendations. The resulting reform programme was designed to bring higher standards to primary assessment and to put in place an assessment system that helps teachers and head teachers help all pupils to succeed.

Further Education and Higher Education: Neurodiversity

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has published guidance on the recognition of neurodiversity conditions at Further and Higher Education facilities.

Robert Halfon: The department wants to provide all young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), including those with neurodiverse conditions, with good opportunities which allow them to transition from education into a fulfilling adult life.We know that with the right preparation and support, the overwhelming majority of young people with SEND are capable of sustained, paid employment. All professionals working with them should share that presumption and should provide the career advice and support that help young people to develop the skills and experience, and achieve the qualifications, that they need to succeed in their careers.Further education (FE) providers must use their best endeavours to secure the special educational provision called for by the student’s Special Educational Needs (SEN). In addition, FE providers also have duties and obligations under the Equality Act 2010 to ensure that they are acting inclusively and not discriminating against disabled students. They are obliged to make reasonable adjustments to prevent disabled students being placed at a substantial disadvantage.Furthermore, under the SEND Code of Practice, FE providers should ensure there is a named person with oversight of SEND provision in every FE setting. They are responsible for co-ordinating, supporting and contributing to the strategic and operational management of the setting. Curriculum and support staff in an FE setting should know who to go to if they need help in identifying a student’s SEN, are concerned about their progress, or need more advice.The government expects all higher education (HE) providers to fulfil their responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010 to be making reasonable adjustments for all students, including students with neurodiverse conditions, and disabled HE students, not just those in receipt of Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA).In terms of funding, DSA is available in addition to the standard support package to help students with the additional costs they may face in HE because of their disability, including long-term health conditions, mental health conditions, or specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia.DSA is not means tested and does not have to be repaid. It is available to full-time and part-time students at undergraduate and postgraduate level, alongside support available from HE providers, and in line with the recommendations of the student’s DSA Needs Assessment. There is no list of approved disabilities: to receive DSA, any student must be eligible for the main support package and disabled in line with the definition contained in the Equality Act 2010.Wherever possible, disabled students and students with neurodiverse conditions should expect to have their needs met through inclusive learning practices and individual reasonable adjustments made by their HE providers.

After School Clubs: Exercise

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department has taken to improve the provision of afterschool physical exercise clubs for (a) primary and (b) secondary school pupils.

Nick Gibb: In July 2023 the Department published an update to the school sport and activity action plan, which will support teachers and schools to deliver two hours of high quality physical education (PE) and provide competitive and extracurricular opportunities to all pupils.The primary PE and sport premium supports all primary schools to make additional and sustainable improvements to the quality of the PE, physical activity and sport they offer, complemented by a wide range of extracurricular sport and competitive opportunities. The Department has announced over £600 million across the 2023/23 and 2024/25 academic years for the premium, along with £22 million for the school games organiser network.New, non-statutory guidance will be published by the end of 2023. This aims to communicate a range of approaches to all schools for successfully delivering a minimum of 2 hours PE per week, equality of access to PE and extracurricular school sport and competition using examples from different types of schools and locations.The Department is funding up to £57 million to deliver phase three of the Opening School Facilities programme, which allows schools to open their sports facilities outside of the core school day to provide more extracurricular opportunities for pupils and communities to play sport and be physically active. The programme is targeted where the funding will have the most positive impact, including for girls, disadvantaged children, those with special educational needs and disabilities and other groups who have lower participation levels in sport.The Department is also investing up to £289 million to support local authorities and providers in England to introduce or expand childcare provision for primary school aged children as part of the national wraparound childcare programme. This could include the use of Ofsted registered childcare providers that specialise in sports provision and physical activities.

Apprentices: Taxation

Abena Oppong-Asare: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has made an assessment of the adequacy of the accessibility of the apprenticeship levy for (a) construction and (b) trade businesses.

Robert Halfon: The apprenticeship levy enables large employers to access up to 110% of their levy contributions for high-quality apprenticeships, which can equip them with the skills they need to develop and grow their workforce. It also enables the government to fund 95% of the cost of apprenticeships in small employers who do not pay the levy.We are increasing apprenticeship funding in England to £2.7 billion by 2024/25, which will support even more people to access apprenticeships, and we have introduced flexi-job apprenticeships, making it easier for apprentices to complete their training across different projects.We are working across government and in partnership with the construction industry, through the Construction Skills Delivery Group, to ensure apprenticeships meet the needs of employers in the sector. In 2021/22 there were over 26,000 apprenticeships starts in Construction, Planning and the Built Environment sector, an increase of 31% from 2020/21.Employers have developed 97 standards in the Construction and the Built Environment sector including Level 2 bricklayer, Level 3 craft carpentry and joinery and the Level 6 chartered surveyor degree apprenticeships. A new version of the bricklayer standard also went live in August 2023, with funding increased by 40%, and we have increased funding for the scaffolder apprenticeship by over 20%.We have made it easier for SMEs in construction to recruit the next generation of talent by removing the limit on the number of apprentices they can take on. We also meet 100% of the cost for the smallest employers (fewer than 50 staff) when they take on young apprentices and have simplified our levy transfer system so SMEs can more easily benefit from transferred funds.

Students: Loans

Lloyd Russell-Moyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the impact assessment for the Government’s reforms to loan repayments, published in February 2022 and the House of Commons Library briefing entitled The Post-18 Education and Funding Review: Government conclusion, section 4.1, what assessment her Department has made of the implications for its policies of disparities in student loan repayments of the (a) average total loan charge and (b) time spent repaying loans between male and female borrowers.

Lloyd Russell-Moyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to page 66 of the Higher education policy statement & reform consultation Equality analysis published in February 2022, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of that report’s findings on the disparity in percentage increases in loan repayments between female borrowers and male borrowers.

Robert Halfon: The department has carefully assessed the impact of changes and published a full and comprehensive analysis in the HE Reform and Consultation Document Equality Impact Assessment, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/higher-education-reform-equality-impact-assessment.The student loan repayment system under Plan 5 is progressive, with repayments being positively correlated with lifetime earnings. The highest earners make the largest individual contributions to the system overall, and the lowest earners are required to contribute the least.Lower earners, whether male or female, are protected. If a borrower’s income is below the repayment threshold, they will not be required to make any repayments at all. At the end of the loan term, any outstanding loan debt, including interest accrued, will be written off at no detriment to the borrower. No commercial loans offer this level of protection.The department will continue to keep the student finance system, including repayment terms, under review to ensure that it remains sustainable and delivers value for money for students and the taxpayer.

Students: Exercise

Dr Neil Hudson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department is taking steps to support students in rural areas to be physically active.

Nick Gibb: In July 2023, the Department published an update to the School Sport and Activity Action Plan, which will support teachers and schools to deliver two hours of high quality physical education (PE) and to provide competitive and extracurricular opportunities to pupils in all areas of England.The Department has announced over £600 million of funding across the 2023/24 and 2024/25 academic years for the Primary PE and Sport Premium, along with £22 million of funding for the School Games Organiser network.The Department is funding up to £57 million to deliver phase three of the Opening School Facilities programme, which allows schools to open their sports facilities outside of the core school day to provide more extracurricular opportunities for pupils and communities to play sport and be physically active. The programme targets groups who have lower participation levels in sport, where funding will have the most positive impact. 1,419 schools across England have already signed up to deliver the programme, including 16 schools in Cumbria.

Students: Loans

Charlotte Nichols: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, for what reason the interest rate on student loans is set higher than the Bank of England base rate.

Charlotte Nichols: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of how many and what proportion of graduates in each plan will repay their (a) undergraduate and (b) post graduate loans.

Robert Halfon: Information on the proportion of graduates in each plan that will repay their (a) undergraduate and (b) post graduate loans, can be found in the ‘Student loan forecasts for England’ annual statistics publication here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/92168d82-7f22-4d01-d6a4-08dbca2fee12.The system for setting interest rates on student loans is set out in the Education (Student Loans) (Repayment) Regulations 2009, as amended. Interest rates are applied in relation to the Retail Price Index (RPI). The RPI is determined by the RPI figure for the March prior to the applicable period for new interest rates. In addition, the government, by law, must cap maximum student loan rates to ensure the interest rate charged on the loan is in line with market rates for comparable unsecured personal loans. From 1 September 2023 to 30 November 2023, the maximum interest rate has been set at 7.3% for Plan 2 and Plan 5 undergraduate student loans, and postgraduate student loans, to take into account recent increases in the prevailing market rate. From the 2023/24 academic year, student loan borrowers starting new courses will benefit from interest rates of RPI only. This change ensures that, under the new Plan 5 loan terms, new borrowers will not repay more than they originally borrowed, when adjusted for inflation.Student loans have very different terms and conditions to commercial loans set with reference to the Bank of England base rate. Unlike commercial unsecured personal loans, student loans are available to all eligible students regardless of their background or financial history. The loans carry significant protections for borrowers. Monthly repayments are based on earnings above the relevant threshold, not on interest rate or amount borrowed. If a borrower’s income drops, so does the amount they repay. If income is below the relevant repayment threshold, or a borrower is not earning, then they do not have to make repayments at all. Any outstanding debt, including interest accrued, is written off after the loan term ends (or in case of death or disability) at no detriment to the borrower. The government is not aware of any commercial loans that offer such protections.The student finance and funding system must provide value for money for all of society at a time of rising costs. It is important that we have a sustainable student finance system, that is fair to students and fair to taxpayers. The department will continue to keep the terms of the student finance system under review to ensure that they keep delivering value for money for both students and taxpayers.

Bus Services: Schools

Sir Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to increase funding to local authorities for the provision of free bus travel to schools.

Nick Gibb: The Department’s school travel policy aims to make sure that no pupil is prevented from accessing education by a lack of transport. Local Authorities must arrange free home to school travel for pupils of compulsory school age who attend their nearest school and would not be able to walk there because of the distance, their special educational needs, disability or mobility problem, or because the nature of the route means it would be unsafe for them to do so. There are extended rights to free travel for pupils from low income families. In the 2021/22 financial year (the most recent year for which data is currently available), Local Authorities spent £1.4 billion on home to school travel for pupils of compulsory school age.The majority of central Government funding for home to school travel is made available to Local Authorities through the Local Government Finance Settlement (LGFS) administered by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC). DLUHC will bring forward proposals for the Local Government Finance Settlement 2024/25 in the usual way later in the year. When finalising budgets, local Government spending will be carefully considered to ensure councils can continue to deliver vital services. This will include considering the effect of inflation and other wider economic circumstances. The local Government finance policy statement, published last December, sets out the measures expected to be maintained into 2024/25.The Department additionally provides grant funding to Local Authorities as a contribution towards the cost of ‘extended rights’ travel, this is just under £45.8 million in the 2023/24 financial year.

Students: Cost of Living

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help support PhD students with the increased cost of living.

Robert Halfon: The Government introduced doctoral loans in the 2018/19 academic year. These loans, which offer up to £28,673 for courses starting in 2023/24, are a contribution to the costs of study, and are the first direct government funding for doctoral study available to students on an open to all basis. For example, available to all eligible students who have gained a place on an eligible programme of study.The government is considering options for doctoral loans for the 2024/25 academic year and will be making an announcement in due course.The government recognises the cost-of-living pressures that have impacted students. That is why the department asked the Office for Students to maintain Student Premium and Mental Health funding for the 2023/24 financial year at the same levels as the previous year.The department has made available £276 million of Student Premium and Mental Health funding for the 2023/24 academic year to support students who need additional help. This funding will complement the help universities are providing through their own bursary, scholarship and hardship support schemes.

Childcare

Stephanie Peacock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the implications for her policies on free childcare of the Childcare and early years survey of parents, published on 27 July 2023.

David Johnston: The 2021 Childcare and Early Years Survey of Parents survey findings, particularly around existing use of childcare and the availability of childcare as a barrier to work, were a key input into modelling that informed the policy decision to expand funded early education childcare entitlements for working parents.The 2022 survey statistics provide a robust baseline and future surveys will be used to monitor and evaluate impacts following the Spring Budget 2023 announcements.The survey is nationally representative, representing the views of around 6,000 parents with children aged 0-14 in England. It collects detailed information on parents' changing use of childcare, on their awareness of government support for childcare, on their opinions of the availability, affordability and quality of childcare in their local area, and how childcare affects their likelihood of working.

Free School Meals: North East

Mary Kelly Foy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many (a) primary and (b) secondary school students receive free school meals in (i) City of Durham constituency (ii) County Durham and (iii) the North East.

Nick Gibb: The Department publishes annual figures on free school meals (FSM) eligibility for pupils in England. The most recent figures are for January 2023, and are available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-pupils-and-their-characteristics/2022-23.In the City of Durham constituency in January 2023, 1,642 (25%) state funded primary school pupils and 1,272 (18%) secondary school pupils were known to be eligible for FSM. Data showing the number and percentage of pupils known to be eligible for FSM in County Durham Local Authority and the North East region is accessible here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/83927831-5a72-47bb-d6ab-08dbca2fee12.

Pre-school Education

Stephanie Peacock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department is taking steps to help ensure that early year providers have sufficient capacity to maintain provision for  previously-enrolled children following the extension of eligibility for free childcare.

David Johnston: In the Government’s Spring Budget, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced transformative reforms to childcare for parents, children and the economy. By 2027/28, this Government will expect to be spending in excess of £8 billion every year on free hours and early education to help working families with their childcare costs. This represents the single biggest investment in childcare in England ever.The Government is providing £204 million in 2023/24, increasing to £288 million by 2024/25 for local authorities to increase the hourly funding rate to providers, increasing year on year to meet rising cost pressures. This substantial uplift is for local authorities to increase the hourly rates paid to providers for delivering the existing entitlements.The additional £204 million in 2023/24 allows an increase by an average of 32% for the current 2-year-old entitlement, and by an average of 6.3% for the 3-and 4-year-old entitlements. For 2-year-olds, this means that the average hourly rate has risen from the current £6 per hour in 2023-24 to an effective £7.95 per hour. The 3-and 4-year-old national average hourly rate has increased from £5.29 to an effective £5.62 from September 2023.The Spring Budget also announced an additional £288 million for 2024/25 to allow for further uplifts next year. Funding rates for 2024/25 will be confirmed in the autumn. This is in addition to £4.1 billion of funding provision by 2027/28 to deliver the new offers.The department is ensuring a phased implementation of the expansion to the 30 hours offer to allow the market to develop the necessary capacity. The sufficiency of childcare places is also continuously being monitored. The key measure of sufficiency is whether the supply of available places is sufficient to meet the requirements of parents and children.Under Section 6 of the Childcare Act 2006, local authorities are responsible for ensuring that the provision of childcare is sufficient to meet the requirements of parents in their area. Part B of the Early education and childcare statutory guidance for local authorities highlights that local authorities should report annually to elected council members on how they are meeting their duty to secure sufficient childcare, and to make this report available and accessible to parents. More information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-education-and-childcare--2.The Department has regular contact with each local authority in England about their sufficiency of childcare and any issues they are facing. Where local authorities report sufficiency challenges, we discuss what action the local authority is taking to address those issues and where needed support the local authority with any specific requirements through our childcare sufficiency support contract.

Supply Teachers: Pay

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of pay for supply teachers employed through education recruitment agencies.

Nick Gibb: Schools have the freedom to make staffing decisions that meet their circumstances. This means schools, academies and Local Authorities are responsible for the recruitment of their workforces, including whether to use supply agencies for supply staff.If a supply teacher is employed by a private employment agency, the agency can decide their salary. As this is a commercial arrangement between the school or Local Authority and the agency, the Department is unable to intervene in matters concerning the terms of their employment or their pay. Supply teachers are free to register with multiple agencies to find the best pay and conditions to meet their own circumstances.Under the Agency Workers Regulations, an agency supply teacher is entitled to receive the same pay and conditions of employment as teachers employed by the school or the Local Authority after 12 weeks in the same role with the same school or Local Authority. Guidance on the Agency Workers Regulations 2010 is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/agency-workers-regulations-2010-guidance-for-recruiters.In August 2018, in conjunction with the Crown Commercial Service, the Department for Education launched the agency supply deal. The deal supports schools with getting value for money when hiring agency supply teachers and other temporary staff.The deal has established a list of preferred suppliers that schools can access, all of which:Will be transparent with schools about the rates they charge.Will agree to not charge finder’s fees for workers who have been in post for 12 weeks, when four weeks’ notice is given.Will conduct consistent, rigorous background screening checks in line with the Department’s statutory guidance ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’.Will be accredited by an approved accreditation body, that will audit suppliers for compliance with robust recruitment principles and the terms of the framework.Details of the deal can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/deal-for-schools-hiring-supply-teachers-and-agency-workers.Education is a devolved matter, meaning the devolved administrations set their own policy on supply teacher pay and conditions.

Music: Education

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to reduce the number of music education hubs; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: In June 2022, the Department for Education and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport published the National Plan for Music Education, setting out a commitment to high quality music education for all children and young people.As part of the Plan, the Department announced its intention to work in partnership with Arts Council England to re-compete the role of Music Hub lead organisations and see a reduced number of lead organisations establishing partnerships across wider geographical areas. The Department wants lead organisations to become more strategic, building a wider range of strong partnerships with schools, academy trusts, Local Authorities and others for children and young people to receive high-quality support in every local area, including those where provision may currently be limited.Working in partnership with the Department, Arts Council England undertook a two stage consultation at the beginning of the year to inform the competition and reform of the geography of the Music Hub network. The findings of the consultation were announced, as well as the change from 117 to 43 lead organisations. Arts Council England subsequently launched the Music Hub Investment Programme to compete the role of lead organisations, with newly completed organisations starting in September 2024. This is a significant reform that should result in more partnerships at a local level working with each Music Hub lead organisation, to support schools, children and young people to improve quality and access to high quality music education.

Apprentices: Pay

Abena Oppong-Asare: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has made an assessment of the adequacy of the (a) flexibility and (b) rates of pay of apprenticeship schemes.

Robert Halfon: Apprenticeships provide a fantastic opportunity for people to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to progress in their chosen careers, and we want to ensure that the programme is flexible so that apprenticeships are widely accessible to all.To support flexibility, we enable those working full-time, part-time and flexible hours to undertake apprenticeships, and apprentices can take short or extended breaks (for example for parental leave) during their programme. For those working in sectors with short-term and project-based employment models, we have created flexi-job apprenticeships, and those with significant prior learning and experience can undertake an accelerated apprenticeship and achieve occupational competence more quickly. We also provide additional funding to support those apprentices who require reasonable adjustments to undertake learning.The department is committed to ensuring that apprentice pay supports the attraction and retention of talented individuals into apprenticeships.We recognise that apprentices may be experiencing financial pressures because of rises in the cost of living. In November 2022, the government accepted, in full, the Low Pay Commission’s recommendation to increase the Apprentice National Minimum Wage by 9.7% to £5.28 from April 2023. This increase will help to counter the impact of rises in the cost of living, and the department continues to provide financial support to encourage more apprenticeship opportunities for all people.Many employers choose to pay their apprentices more than the national minimum wage rates, recognising the value that apprentices bring to their workplace. Data shows that average hourly pay for apprentices’ ranges between £8.23 for Level 2 and £14.02 for Level 6.We continue to make £1,000 payments to employers and providers when they take on apprentices aged 16 to 18, and apprentices aged 19 to 24 that have an Education, Health and Care plan, which can be used to support costs such as wages, uniforms or travel. In addition, we increased our care leavers’ bursary from £1,000 to £3,000 in August 2023.

Apprentices

Abena Oppong-Asare: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has made an assessment of the adequacy of the uptake in apprenticeships since 2020.

Robert Halfon: Apprenticeships are crucial in driving growth and social mobility. They boost businesses skills and improve people’s earnings and progression opportunities. Since the 2019/20 academic year there have been 1.33 million (provisional) apprenticeship starts across England, and we want to see this number grow.We are increasing investment in apprenticeships to £2.7 billion by 2024/25, encouraging more employers across the country to recruit new apprentices. We have created flexible training models, such as flexi-job and accelerated apprenticeships, to make apprenticeships more accessible for employers, and improved the transfer system so that levy-payers can make better use of their funds. We are also making it easier for employers to hire apprentices, and the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education will review the content of 100 apprenticeship standards in sectors like construction and healthcare by the end of December 2023, so they reflect the latest technological developments.To support more people to access degree apprenticeships, we are allocating an additional £40 million over the next two years, supporting degree apprenticeship providers to expand, and helping more people to access this provision, on top of the £8 million investment in 2022/23.We continue to promote apprenticeships to young people in schools and further education colleges across the country through our Apprenticeship Support and Knowledge programme, and UCAS will be expanding its service to allowing students to search for and apply to apprenticeships alongside degrees.

Apprentices

Abena Oppong-Asare: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has made an assessment of the adequacy of career opportunities for young people on apprenticeship schemes.

Robert Halfon: Apprenticeships provide a fantastic opportunity for people to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to progress in their chosen careers. Our employer-designed apprenticeship standards ensure that apprentices are gaining relevant industry experience in 680 different occupations.We know apprenticeships continue to work for individuals up and down the country, with the latest data showing that 92% of apprentices go into work or further training, with 90% in sustained employment. Many apprentices remain with their employer following their apprenticeship.Earnings for those undertaking higher apprenticeships compare well to the earnings of first-degree graduates five years on. Data shows that the median first-degree graduate earnings, five years after graduation were £28,200 compared to £30,900 for level 4 apprentices and £28,310 for level 5+ apprentices.We want to see more young people benefitting from apprenticeships. We are increasing investment in apprenticeships to £2.7 billion by the 2024/25 financial year and continue to pay £1,000 to employers and providers when they hire young apprentices aged under 19, or 19-to-24-year-old apprentices who have an Education, Health and Care plan or have been in care. From 2024, young people will also be able to apply for apprenticeships through UCAS alongside an undergraduate degree application, and we are allocating an additional £40 million over the next two years to support the expansion of degree apprenticeships which offer high-quality higher education alternatives for school leavers.

Schools: Admissions

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to meet the needs of areas where there are increases in demand for school placements at (a) primary and (b) secondary schools.

Nick Gibb: Local Authorities are responsible for providing enough school places for pupils in their area. The Department provides capital funding through the Basic Need grant to support Local Authorities to provide school places, based on their own pupil forecasts and school capacity data. This funding supports the Government’s priority to ensure that every pupil has the opportunity of a place at a good school, whatever their background.The Department has announced a total of £2 billion for places needed for the academic years starting in 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026. This funding is on top of our investment in the Free Schools programme and means the Department has now committed Basic Need capital funding of over £14 billion to support the creation of new school places between 2011 and 2026.The Department regularly engages with Local Authorities to review their plans for creating additional places and to consider alternatives where necessary. When Local Authorities are experiencing difficulties, the Department supports them to find solutions as quickly as possible.

Educational Visits: EU Countries

Fleur Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what information her Department holds on the number of school visits to EU countries that took place in (a) 2019 and (b) 2023.

Fleur Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she is taking steps to help increase the number of visits by UK schools to EU countries.

Nick Gibb: The Department does not request or record data on school trips that have been independently organised and funded directly by schools. The Turing Scheme, launched in the 2020/21 academic year, provides funding for UK students to work and study around the world. For the current 2023/24 academic year, the Turing Scheme is providing over £10 million in funding for 6,789 UK school pupils to take part in overseas visits, and over 4,400 of these pupils are due to visit EU countries for their Turing visits.The Department recognises the importance of cultural and educational exchanges between the UK and other nations and will continue to support opportunities for children and young people, where appropriate.At a recent UK and France summit, the UK committed to making the travel of school groups from France to the UK easier by changing the documentary requirements for pupils on organised trips from France. France committed to ensuring appropriate mechanisms are in place for visa free travel for pupils travelling on organised school trips from the UK and to facilitating the passage of those groups through the border.

Department for Transport

Transport: South Staffordshire

Sir Gavin Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will hold discussions with the Chief Executive of National Express on cuts to transport services in South Staffordshire.

Mr Richard Holden: The Department for Transport regularly engages with bus operators, including National Express, and will continue to do so to support the delivery of sustainable local transport networks. On 23 October the Government announced that Staffordshire County Council has been allocated a further £4,982,000 for the first year of funding for buses redirect from HS2 funding, building on the £2,655,347 in BSIP+ funding to support and protect bus services allocated in 2023-4 and 2024-5. This can bus used by local authorities to support and enhance bus networks across Staffordshire and is on top of the extension of the national ‘Get Around For Two Pound’ national fare cap scheme.

Bus Services: Rural Areas

Sir Gavin Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department plans to help improve the frequency of bus services in rural areas; and if he will increase funding for the provision of additional buses in those areas where services are infrequent.

Mr Richard Holden: Good bus services are vital in rural areas and this Government has invested to protect them. Since 2020, we have invested over £3.5 billion in buses, including a recently announced further £300 million to protect and enhance services from July 2023 to April 2025 via BISP+ and BSOG+.The decision to cancel HS2 North of Litchfield means that we can do more still. We will direct £36 billion to Network North in the Midlands and North of England, this includes a further £1 billion extra for bus networks over the next five years.On top of the funding already announced, this means extending the ‘Get Around for Two Pound’ single bus fares to the 31st December 2024.Of the £1 billion we announced, in the first year, 2024-5 ,we’ll be allocating £150 million to councils to support and enhance bus networks in the Midlands and the North, this includes a further £4,982,000 for Staffordshire County Council.

Great British Railways: Job Creation

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the number of new jobs that will be created by Great British Railways.

Huw Merriman: The number of new jobs that will be created by Great British Railways (GBR) is subject to further work and approval within a business case. GBR will be a streamlined organisation that is regionally focused with supporting central functions. The majority of functions that GBR will take on already exist in DfT, Network Rail and Rail Delivery Group. GBR will unlock the potential of track and train collaboration for the benefit of passengers, freight users, and taxpayers – helping to create a compelling offer to existing and potential industry staff.

Railways: Season Tickets

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to page 10 of the Williams-Shapps plan for rail, when he expects flexible season tickets to be introduced for people who commute 2 or 3 days a week.

Huw Merriman: As part of a commitment in the Plan for Rail, we successfully launched flexible season tickets on 21 June 2021. As of October 2023, over 850,000 new flexible season tickets have been sold since launch, offering commuters travelling two to three days a week significant savings.

Cruise Industry and Government Forum

Peter Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how often the Cruise Industry and Government Forum has met since its establishment.

Peter Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Cruise Industry and Government forums plans to publish conclusions from its discussions.

Mr Richard Holden: The Cruise Industry and Government Forum (CIGF) was formed in 2022 to build on the collaborative relationship developed during the COVID-19 pandemic. It meets bi-annually at the beginning and end of the cruise season (spring and autumn). It has met three times since its formation, in October 2022, April 2023 and September 2023. The strategic focus of the forum is set at how to enhance the UK's competitive advantage in the international cruise sector. This focus sees the CIGF discuss a range of topics including decarbonisation, skills, and security. There are currently no plans to publish conclusions from these discussions, as they form part of on-going interactions between government and the sector on policy development.

Luton Airport: Construction

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 19 September 2023 to Question 199520 on Luton Airport: Construction, if he will make it his policy to pause consideration of the Development Consent Order on expansion at Luton Airport until after the Government has considered the potential implications of the Climate Change Committee's recommendations.

Jesse Norman: Any planning application submitted by an airport will be judged by the relevant planning authority, taking careful account of all relevant considerations, including environmental impacts and proposed mitigations.

Air Accidents Investigation Branch: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much the Air Accidents Investigation Branch spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Jesse Norman: The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) receives training through the Department for Transport and is included in training packages provided to all Department for Transport staff. Beyond that, the AAIB did not spend anything on diversity and inclusion training.

Buses: Procurement

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions his Department has held with local authorities on equality of access to tender processes for new bus fleets.

Mr Richard Holden: No recent discussions have been had between my Department and local authorities on equality of access to tender processes for new bus fleets but if the hon member has specific concerns, I would be happy to look into them.

Buses: Exhaust Emissions

Liz Twist: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when his Department plans to publish its response to the consultation on ending the sale of new non-zero emission buses, coaches and minibuses.

Mr Richard Holden: The National Bus Strategy contained a commitment to set a legal end date for the sale of new diesel buses and set an expectation for when the entire bus fleet will be zero-emission. In spring 2022, the Department consulted on determining the exact date for ending the sale of new, non-zero emission buses. Calls for evidence about the decarbonisation of coaches and minibuses were also held. We will provide further updates in due course.

Buses: Exhaust Emissions

Judith Cummins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to page 43 of his Department's report entitled Bus back better: national bus strategy for England, published on 15 March 2021, what recent progress his Department has made on the rollout of a zero-emission bus fleet.

Mr Richard Holden: Since February 2020, an estimated 4,200 zero-emission buses (ZEBs) have been funded across the UK, this includes 1,300 ZEBs supported by the £280m ZEBRA scheme. On 8 September 2023, we announced that the ZEBRA 2 scheme would provide up to a further £129m of funding for local transport authorities in England (outside of London) to support the introduction of hundreds more ZEBs and associated infrastructure. The National Bus Strategy also contained a commitment to set a legal end date for the sale of new diesel buses and set an expectation for when the entire bus fleet will be zero-emission. In spring 2022, the Department ran a consultation to help determine the exact date for ending the sale of new non-ZEBs. Calls for evidence about the decarbonisation of coaches and minibuses were also launched. We will make an announcement on the end of sales date in due course. In April 2022, the Government increased the rate at which the Bus Service Operators Grant can be claimed for ZEBs to 22p per km, further incentivising the take up of ZEBs.

Road Traffic Control: Cameras

Mark Eastwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent progress he has made on updating circular 01/2007 on Use of speed and red-light cameras for traffic enforcement: guidance on deployment, visibility and signing, published by his Department on 31 January 2007.

Mr Richard Holden: The Department is currently preparing a revised draft of the circular in light of feedback from a range of key stakeholders, including local government and police force representatives, as to what the guidance should contain. We plan to further engage with interested parties on this revision, with a view to publishing in due course.

Bus Services

Liz Twist: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when his Department plans to publish guidance on socially and economically necessary bus services.

Mr Richard Holden: We plan to publish new guidance on socially and economically necessary services (SENS) in this Parliament.

Bus Services

Liz Twist: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to page 50 of the National Bus Strategy for England, when his Department plans to commence the review of the rights of local authorities to set up new municipal bus companies.

Mr Richard Holden: We will publish a Call for Evidence during this Parliament, as the first part of a review into whether it remains right that local authorities cannot set up new municipal bus companies.

Pedestrians: County Durham

Mary Kelly Foy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to help increase the safety of pedestrians in (a) City of Durham constituency and (b) County Durham.

Mr Richard Holden: The Department for Transport updated The Highway Code on 29 January 2022 to include changes to improve safety for cyclists, pedestrians and horse riders. The local council has responsibility for making decisions about local roads, based on its local knowledge and taking into account local needs. Durham City Council was also awarded £528,000 from the Safer Roads Fund in 2016/17 for improvements to the A67. Pedestrian related improvements funded included pedestrian crossing points at various locations along the A67 in Barnard castle and Startforth Park.

Transport: North of England

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department has made of the number of planning officers needed to approve plans for each of the Network North projects, broken down by region.

Huw Merriman: The schemes in Network North will navigate a variety of different consenting regimes depending on their size, scale, and location. However, we are committed to speeding up the delivery of our transport projects and the Government’s action plan for reforms to the planning process includes commitments to develop workforce strategies to address skills and capability gaps and providing capacity and capability funding to the planning system to provide additional resource if required.

Wales Rail Board

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many times the Wales Rail Board has met since it was established.

Huw Merriman: The Wales Rail Board was inaugurated in March 2022 and has met on a total of six occasions to date.

Railways: Bradford

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to Command Paper 946 entitle Network North: Transforming British Transport, published in October 2023, whether Bradford station has an approved business case.

Huw Merriman: All Network North schemes will be subject to the development and approval of business cases and will undergo formal governance in line with relevant fiscal and legal duties.

Road Works: Utilities

James Daly: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which local transport authorities have introduced lane rental schemes; how much mileage is covered by each scheme; what the average reduction in roadworks has been in the areas that have implemented those schemes; and how much money has been raised in fines from utility companies for overrunning works in those areas in each year since the inception of lane rental schemes.

Mr Richard Holden: The Government recently published a plan for drivers which included support for further Lane Rental schemes, which reduce roadworks by incentivising utilities to avoid the busiest roads at the busiest times helping to reduce congestion caused by road works. The Department will be consulting on requiring local authorities with Lane Rental schemes to use at least 50% of any surplus on pothole repairs or resurfacing poor quality roads. There are currently four schemes in operation which publish annual monitoring and evaluations of their own schemes, and which include information relating to the impact of lane rental on works carried out by utility companies. These can be found on Transport for London’s and Kent County Council’s websites. Surrey and West Sussex County Councils are yet to publish their evaluations due to the recent implementation. As scheme coverage can vary year on year, these authorities will be best placed to advise on current mileage. Ongoing discussions are now taking place with other local authorities, and I would encourage all Members of Parliament to press their own Local Authorities to implement lane rental schemes. The Department commissioned an independent evaluation of lane rental pilot schemes, which was published in 2016. The evaluation estimated that Lane Rental led to 3000 fewer days of congestion on the highways network. We do not collect nor hold information on fines relating to overrunning works carried out by utility companies. This is held by highway authorities.

Motorways: Speed Limits

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer on 16 October 2023 to Question 199996 on Motorways: Speed Limits, on what (a) basis and (b) authority National Highways conducted a trial without scientific advice to support a trial being beneficial to the environment and in reducing emissions.

Mr Richard Holden: National Highways have a legal duty to achieve compliance of NO2 levels on their roads in the shortest possible time. Part of this duty was to review new technology and research. The speed trial was one of these pieces of research undertaken by experts from Connected Places Catapult, supported by consultation and joint working with leading experts in emission measurements and modelling at TNO in the Netherlands between May 2017 and January 2019, and TU Graz in Austria. Findings of National Highways’ research have been presented to the Dispersion Modellers User Group (DMUG) and ITS(UK) Smart Environment Interest Group and is published on National Highways’ website. The speed trial implemented in 2021 was a way to understand if this research would work in real world conditions. The complex analysis of all the data collected on the M1 trial is currently being analysed and a report on the conclusions of the M1 speed trial will be published shortly.

Transport: North of England

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on funding for the Network North plan; what estimate he has made of when the transport projects set out in the Network North plan will be delivered; and how much funding his Department has allocated to (a) new stations, (b) electrification, (c) bus corridors and (d) integrated public transport networks in each region.

Huw Merriman: We are in regular contact with the Chancellor of the Exchequer and HMT as we develop the schemes announced in the Network North plan. The projects will be delivered over the next decade and beyond, with some already underway such as improved support for bus services and road resurfacing. Following the announcement, we are working with our delivery partners for each project to develop detailed plans, however we have set out the overall allocation to the North, Midlands and the rest of the country: £19.8bn to the North, £9.6bn to the Midlands, and £6.5bn to other national projects and schemes (subject to the approval of business cases).

Euston Station: Housing

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to Command Paper 946 entitled Network North: Transforming British Transport, published in October 2023, what the evidential basis is for the statement that up to 10,000 homes could be built on the Euston station redevelopment.

Huw Merriman: The new HS2 station and associated development will support a broader ‘Euston Quarter’ transformation. The opportunity for regeneration and new homes in the Euston area is one of the largest in central London. Government- and Network Rail-owned land alone is almost 60 acres, alongside other potential development opportunities.

High Speed 2 Line

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the decision was made to withdraw funding for phases 2a and 2b of HS2.

Huw Merriman: The Secretary of State for Transport took the decision to cancel HS2 phases north of Birmingham and redirect funding towards alternative projects on Tuesday 3 October, the day before the Prime Minister’s announcement. There was then a meeting of the Cabinet on the morning of Wednesday 4 October, which collectively agreed that decision, and the Prime Minister announced it shortly afterwards.

Railways: Greater Manchester

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to page 62 of the Integrated Rail Plan, published in November 2021, whether it remains his Department's policy that improvement of journey times between Birmingham and Manchester is not possible without additional track capacity.

Huw Merriman: In line with normal practice, work to consider future service patterns and capacity in the light of Network North continues. The funding that has been redirected through our Network North plans will deliver multiple upgrades to the rail network across the North, the Midlands and the rest of the country – benefitting small towns alongside big cities, and including a major expansion to the Northern Powerhouse Rail core network with Bradford, Sheffield and Hull now incorporated.

Railways: Penzance

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to page 26 of First Greater Western Limited 2022: business plan commitments for 2022, published on 14 June 2022, what proposals the company has submitted for the optimal future provision of the night riviera sleeper service.

Huw Merriman: As part of their Future Fleet and Depot proposal (a 2022/23 Business Plan Commitment), Great Western Railway considered proposals for the optimal future provision of the ‘Night Riveria’ Sleeper services. These remain under consideration by the Department, but there are no current plans to alter the rolling stock on the Night Riviera service or it’s frequency.

Transport: North of England

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the policy paper entitled Network North, published on 4 October 2023, how much funding has been allocated to each of the Network North projects.

Huw Merriman: Many of the projects announced in the Network North plan already have funding allocated and are being delivered, such as the £2 bus fare cap and investment in road resurfacing. Following the announcement, we are working with our delivery partners for each project to develop realistic and affordable plans for delivery.

Transport: North of England

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the policy paper entitled Network North, published on 4 October 2023, what the expected delivery date is for each Network North project.

Huw Merriman: The projects announced in the Network North plan are at various stages of maturity with some already being delivered, such as the £2 bus fare cap and investment in road resurfacing. Following the announcement, we are working with our delivery partners for each project to develop realistic and affordable plans for delivery.

Transport: North of England

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the policy paper entitled Network North, published on 4 October 2023, how many and what proportion of the Network North projects have had a business case approved by the Treasury.

Huw Merriman: The projects announced as part of Network North have business cases at various stages in the approval process, and not all will require HMT sign off.

Railway Stations

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to help support the work of community railway station adoption groups.

Huw Merriman: The Department for Transport actively supports the work of Community Railway Station Adoption Groups by providing funding and access to a range of non-financial support. The Department provides grant funding to the Community Rail Network, who offer guidance and training, alongside opportunities for networking, promotion, and access to resources and community engagement initiatives. These efforts are integral to the realisation of the National Community Rail Development Strategy and the broader goals outlined in the Plan for Rail, which collectively aim to enhance the quality and accessibility of rail services while strengthening community involvement.

Railways: Penzance

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the feasibility of options for maintaining the Great Western Railway night riviera sleeper service during engineering works.

Huw Merriman: Officials and Great Western Railway have considered several options for maintaining the Night Riviera sleeper service during upcoming works to upgrade signalling in Devon and Cornwall. Unfortunately, none of these were deemed feasible. Together GWR and Network Rail were able to agree a plan that allows Sleeper services to continue to operate on Friday and Sunday nights as well as some select days in recognition of the key role this train plays for customers. The sleeper service will resume six nights a week as soon as completion of the work allows.

Railways: Penzance

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential economic impact on (a) Devon and (b) Cornwall of cancellations to the GWR Night Riviera service during engineering works.

Huw Merriman: No assessment has been made, but Network Rail has agreed to do this work in a series of possessions over four-nights a week instead of closing the railway for longer periods during the day. This would have impacted those using the railway to travel to work or education or visitors to Devon and Cornwall. Resignalling in Devon and Cornwall will improve reliability and offer options for improved timetables in future, supporting the economy of both counties.

Railways: Penzance

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has had recent discussions with Great Western Railway on (a) the frequency of and (b) plans for its night riviera sleeper services.

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has had recent discussions with Great Western Railway on (a) the adequacy of and (b) plans for rolling stock on the night riviera sleeper service.

Huw Merriman: Officials have regular discussions with Great Western Railway around the operation of its sleeper services, including the adequacy of its rolling stock provision. There are no current plans to alter the rolling stock on the Night Riviera service or it’s frequency.

High Speed 2 Line: Euston Station

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of using public finance initiatives to help fund the Euston redevelopment.

Huw Merriman: DfT and HS2 Ltd have consulted and commissioned studies on different options to finance the HS2 programme, including Euston. We continually review the best ways to deliver and fund our major infrastructure projects including public finance initiatives where appropriate.

High Speed 2 Line: Euston Station

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when his Department plans to publish its proposals for the private financing of the Euston development.

Huw Merriman: The Network North paper published by the Department earlier this month sets out that private finance will be leveraged to ensure contributions to the cost of Euston from those people and businesses it supports. Further details on proposals for Euston will be published in due course.

High Speed 2 Line: Land

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the potential income to the public purse from selling the land bought for Phase 2B of the HS2 project.

Huw Merriman: Any land and property that is no longer required will be sold, and a programme is being developed to do this.

High Speed 2 Line

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has undertaken an impact assessment on not proceeding with Phase 2b of HS2.

Huw Merriman: The economic benefit cost ratio (BCR) of the decision to proceed with building just Phase One (London-Birmingham) of HS2 was set out in the Accounting Officer Assessment published in October 2023.

Railways: Tavistock

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to his Department's news story South West to benefit from £6.5 billion transport investment, published on 4 October 2023, whether construction of the five mile track and new station at Tavistock will be funded by his Department.

Huw Merriman: The Government is committed to restore the railway line between Plymouth and Tavistock using funding within the £36 billion Network North programme.

Public Transport: Northern Ireland

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has had recent discussions with Translink on introducing incentives for people working in the city to take (a) trains and (b) other public transport in Northern Ireland.

Huw Merriman: In the absence of an Executive in Northern Ireland, neither myself nor the Secretary of State have had any discussions. However, whilst these matters are devolved, my officials regularly engage with their counterparts from the Department for Infrastructure on issues of mutual interest.

Low Emission Zones: Greater London

Sir John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has had discussions with Transport for London on the vandalism of ULEZ cameras and the potential cost to the public purse of replacing them.

Mr Richard Holden: Transport in London is devolved to the Mayor of London and TfL. It is for them to determine how best to manage the vandalism of ULEZ cameras and the financial impact of replacing them. Government has been clear that, under the terms of the longer-term funding settlement, HMG grant funding cannot be used to cover the costs of implementing ULEZ expansion. Therefore, the Mayor and TfL must fund this through alternative sources available to them.

Railways: Recruitment

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to page 99 of the Williams-Shapps plan for rail, what steps he is taking to increase the (a) recruitment and (b) retention of a diverse workforce across the rail sector.

Huw Merriman: The Great British Railways Transition Team (GBRTT) have developed and adopted a set of inclusive recruitment design principles to improve how the sector connects with, assesses, and hires people from diverse backgrounds.

Transport: Lancaster and Fleetwood

Cat Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much and what proportion of the HS2 budget will be allocated to transport upgrades in Lancaster and Fleetwood constituency.

Huw Merriman: The PM has set out that all of the savings from Phase 2 of HS2 will be spent in the North. This includes investing £3.3bn to tackle potholes and extending the bus fare cap until the end of 2024 in England which will help improve transport for users in the region. The new Local Integrated Transport Settlements and future rounds of the Major Road Network programme will provide further opportunities for investment over the coming decade. We continue to invest in the region through our existing programmes, such as the improvements to the A585 between Windy Harbour to Skippool which is due to open in March 2024.

Wales Rail Board

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish the membership of the Wales Rail Board.

Huw Merriman: The Wales Rail Board is a senior director-level meeting comprising members as shown below. Representatives of other organisations attend the Board by invitation.Welsh Government, Director of Economic InfrastructureWelsh Government, Rail Programme DirectorTransport for Wales, Chief Executive OfficerDepartment for Transport, Director (Rail Infrastructure Group)Department for Transport, Director (Passenger Services Markets)Department for Transport, Deputy Director (Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland Division)Office of the Secretary of State for Wales, DirectorNetwork Rail, Route Director (Wales)Network Rail, Investment Director (Wales and Western Region)GBR Transition Team, Head of Partnership Design (Wales)

Railways: Electrification

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many kilometres of rail has been electrified in each year since 2021.

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent estimate he has made of the number of kilometres of rail that will be electrified by the end of 2023.

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent estimate he has made of the number of kilometres of rail that will be electrified by the end of 2025.

Huw Merriman: Data on rail electrification from 2020/21 to 2022/23 is available here: https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Fdataportal.orr.gov.uk%2Fmedia%2F1528%2Ftable-6320-infrastructure-on-the-mainline.ods&wdOrigin=BROWSELINKData for March 2023 to March 2024 will be released by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) in October 2024. Current electrification projects underway include the Midland Main Line (MML), the TransPennine Route Upgrade (TRU), and Wigan to Bolton Electrification. As of October 2023, the MML has seen 50.4 kilometres of line electrified between Bedford and Corby, with an additional 36 kilometres are due to be complete in 2023/24. TRU will see an additional 70 miles due to be electrified by 2028, with approximately 18 miles between Church Fenton and York, and Manchester Victoria and Stalybridge, due to be completed by the end of 2024.From 1997/98 to 2009/10, around 63 miles of track were electrified in Great Britain (this figure excludes around 7 miles of an electrical format conversion on the North London Line). From 2010/11 to 2022/23, around 1265 miles of track have been electrified.

Railways: Electrification

James Daly: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which rail lines have been fully electrified since 1997; of those, how many miles were electrified; which rail lines are in the process being electrified as of October 2023; and of those, how many miles are being electrified.

Huw Merriman: From 1997/98 to 2009/10, around 63 miles of track were electrified in Great Britain (this figure excludes around 7 miles of an electrical format conversion on the North London Line). From 2010/11 to 2022/23, around 1265 miles of track have been electrified. Major projects since 2010 have included the North-West Electrification programme and the Great Western Electrification Programme. A number of electrification projects are currently underway, this includes the Midland Main Line (MML), the TransPennine Route Upgrade (TRU) and Wigan to Bolton Electrification. As of October 2023, 31.3 miles has been electrified on the MML between Bedford and Corby, with 22.4 miles from Kettering to Wigston due to be complete between 2023 and 2024. TRU is expected to be complete by 2028, with 70 miles of line being electrified between Manchester Victoria and York, alongside two subprojects between Church Fenton and York and Manchester Victoria to Stalybridge which amount to approximately 18 miles.

Transport: North of England

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many officials in (a) his Department and (b) Network Rail are assigned to work on the Network North scheme.

Huw Merriman: Officials across the department are working on projects contained in Network North in the usual way. Many projects are in the early to mid-stages of business development and detailed plans including resourcing are being progressed with partners including Network Rail, who we continue to work closely with.

East West Railway Company: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much the East West Railway Company Limited spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Huw Merriman: East West Railway Company Limited spent £57,701 on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Leeds-Bradford Airport

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, on what date Leeds Bradford Airport submitted its application for designation as a coordinated airport.

Jesse Norman: 3 July 2023.

Air Traffic Control

Mark Logan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to increase the number of air traffic controllers.

Jesse Norman: The recruitment of air traffic controllers is a commercial matter for the private businesses that operate air traffic control services. However, the Department is working with industry and other Government Departments, as part of the Generation Aviation programme, to support medium and long term recruitment. This work includes the promotion of air traffic controller careers, and co-operation with industry and the Department for Education to review current apprenticeship standards so as to encourage greater uptake.

Crossrail International: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much the Crossrail International spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Mr Richard Holden: Nothing.

Clean Air Zones: Greater Manchester

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department as made an assessment of the potential effect of the installation of clean air zone signs across the City of Manchester on road users in the context of the Mayor of Manchester's decision to pause the clean air zone across that city.

Jesse Norman: Responsibility for the signage rests with the Greater Manchester authorities. Decisions as to the future of the signs will be made as part of the review of Greater Manchester’s plans to address the serious issue of nitrogen dioxide pollution.

Railways: Environment Protection

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to page 89 of the Williams-Shapps plan for rail, whether his Department has published an environment plan to establish rail as a key pillar of a cleaner future transport system.

Huw Merriman: Following the publication of the Plan for Rail, government published its Rail Environment Policy Statement which set strategic direction for the rail industry on environmental sustainability and to outline policy priorities for a Comprehensive Environment Plan. Building on this strategic direction RSSB has been commissioned to produce an industry-led strategy, a ‘Sustainable Rail Blueprint’ which provides industry with a framework to guide work on building a more sustainable railway. It is expected that this will form input into the Long-Term Strategy for Rail. The Department expects the Sustainable Rail Blueprint to be published later this year.

Great British Railways

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether an independent oversight mechanism will be established to oversee Great British Railways.

Huw Merriman: The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) is the independent safety and economic regulator for the railway in Great Britain. ORR will continue to provide independent oversight, upholding the interests of rail users and taxpayers, once Great British Railways is established.

West Coast Main Line

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the capacity of the West Coast Main Line to meet anticipated future passenger and freight usage in the context of the decision not to proceed the northern section of HS2.

Huw Merriman: No decisions have been made on the train service that will run when HS2 opens. These will be made in due course and be subject to consultation, taking advice from the industry. These considerations will include passenger and freight services available on the West Coast Mainline from released capacity.

West Coast Main Line: Freight

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department has made of the potential increase in freight that will be transported along the West Coast Main Line in the context of not proceeding with the northern section of HS2.

Huw Merriman: No decisions have been made on the train service that will run when HS2 opens. These will be made in due course and be subject to consultation, taking advice from the industry. These considerations will include passenger and freight services available on the West Coast Mainline from released capacity.

Northern Lighthouse Board: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much the Northern Lighthouse Board spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Mr Richard Holden: Nothing.

Trinity House: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much the Trinity House spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Mr Richard Holden: In 2023 Trinity House refreshed its organisation values and specifically included equality of opportunity, diversity, and dignity & respect as a value. This will include formal diversity and equality training for all employees which will be sourced from an external provider. The estimated cost of this is approximately £15,000.

Marine Accident Investigation Branch: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much the Marine Accident Investigation Branch spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Mr Richard Holden: Nothing.

Railways: Stowmarket

Tom Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department plans to expedite delivery of the Haughley Junction rail project, north of Stowmarket.

Huw Merriman: We are currently considering next steps for the delivery of the Ely Area Capacity Enhancements (EACE) and Haughley junction upgrade rail projects. All schemes will be subject to the development and approval of business cases and will undergo all formal governance, in line with relevant fiscal and legal duties. We are working with Network Rail on next steps and will update stakeholders in due course.

Railways: Climate Change

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to page 91 of the Williams-Shapps plan for rail, what steps he is taking to prioritise long-term investment in climate resilience across the rail sector.

Huw Merriman: In 2022 the Department for Transport published the High-Level Output Specification (HLOS) which outlines the Secretary of State’s objectives for Network Rail’s operation, maintenance and renewal of railway infrastructure between 2024 and 2029—tied to a £44.1 billion funding settlement. The HLOS is clear that the rail network must be as resilient as reasonably possible to the effects of climate change and extreme weather, and that Network Rail must demonstrate its plans for climate change adaptation through developing long-term strategies to influence future investment in the railway. Network Rail’s resilience taskforce was established in 2022 and is being led by independent experts. Their recommendations to improve weather resilience on the network are already being put into effect, including renewed investment in Network Rail’s capability and use of weather data and technology, upskilling of its workforce, and improving inspections and examinations of earthworks and drainage assets. The Department for Transport is developing a transport adaptation strategy, taking a holistic approach to addressing the transport-related risks in the UK Climate Change Risk Assessment.

Passenger Ships

Peter Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what data his Department holds on the number of passengers (a) embarking and (b) disembarking UK passenger cruise ports in each of the last five years.

Mr Richard Holden: The Department for Transport publishes monthly UK international cruise passenger movements by direction, as part of its annual sea passenger release. This information can be found at the following link in table SPAS0107, column H - Pleasure Cruises Sea passenger statistics: data tables (SPAS) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). Numbers in the table represent the number of international cruise passengers in thousands. 20182019202020212022Arrivals1,1051,09060881,002Departures1,1031,0824694992Total2,2082,1711071811,994 The number of domestic cruise passengers can be found in table SPAS0201, Sea passenger statistics: data tables (SPAS) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

Electric Vehicles: Wheelchairs

Sir Gavin Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department plans to hold discussions with car manufacturers on helping to ensure there is a provision of a range of wheelchair accessible battery electric vehicles.

Jesse Norman: The Government will continue to engage with vehicle manufacturers in the UK and other industry stakeholders to support the provision of zero emission wheelchair-accessible vehicles (WAVs). It is already supporting the uptake of WAVs through the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate and Plug in Vehicle Grant.

Railways: Season Tickets

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the affordability of rail season tickets.

Huw Merriman: Season tickets and flexible season tickets offer commuters significant discounts on rail travel for regular travellers when compared to the cost of the peak return fare. As part of a commitment in the Plan for Rail, we successfully launched flexible season tickets across England on 21 June 2021. As of October 2023, over 850,000 new flexible season tickets have been sold since launch, offering commuters travelling two to three days a week further savings against buying daily tickets or traditional seasons. The Government recognises the challenges passengers are facing with the cost of living. This is why, in March 2023, we delivered the biggest Government intervention on rail fares in 25 years, by capping fares at 5.9 per cent, 6.4 percentage points below July 2022 RPI. By aligning the increase to July 22 average earnings growth instead of RPI, we more than halved the increase faced by passengers, ensuring that the cost of rail tickets from March 2023 were more manageable.

Railways: Fares

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the number of affordable turn up and go rail tickets available to passengers.

Huw Merriman: We have been clear in the Plan for Rail we want to simplify fares and tickets, whilst protecting affordable turn up and go tickets and season tickets. There is a wide range of affordable tickets on offer for passengers travelling by train, including “turn up and go” tickets such as off peak and super off peak tickets that offer significant discounts and can be bought right up to departure.

Office of Rail and Road: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much the Office of Rail and Road spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Huw Merriman: £16,596.

Rail Accident Investigation Branch: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much the Rail Accident Investigation Branch spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Huw Merriman: In the 2022-23 financial year, the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) did not pay for any formal equality and diversity training. In 2022-2023, RAIB did pay for two separate external speakers to raise staff awareness of disability and hearing loss, costing £200 and £250, respectively. The purpose of these talks was to support RAIB officials in the course of their investigations when dealing with the public and rail industry, as RAIB have had deployments and investigations where disability is a factor.

Railways: Environment Protection

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to page 90 of the Williams-Shapps plan for rail, what progress his Department has made towards (a) tree planting and (b) introducing other (i) green initiatives and (ii) energy efficiency measures across the rail estate.

Huw Merriman: To maintain operational safety on the railways, Network Rail does not intend to plant more trees on the rail estate. Instead Network Rail has been working with the Tree Council to plant around 250,000 trees in communities over the past three years. Network Rail is also working with its neighbours, supported by Defra Nature for Climate funding, to encourage tree planting at a suitable distance away from the railway. Network Rail has committed to no net loss of biodiversity on the rail estate by 2024 and net gain by 2035.Network Rail and all Department for Transport (DfT) contracted Train Operating Companies (TOCs) are required to set out their decarbonisation strategies and produce validated Science Based Targets, setting out clear and deliverable pathways to Net Zero 2050. Network Rail and the DfT TOCs are all delivering energy efficiency measures across the rail estate to achieve their decarbonisation commitments. Progress against commitments is monitored by DfT.Network Rail is also pursuing other green initiatives, including supporting new renewable energy projects in the UK for energy use on the rail estate.

Railways: Travel Cards

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what data his Department holds on the (a) number and (b) types of (i) national and (ii) regional railcards issued by Network Rail in 2022.

Huw Merriman: Railcard sales data is commercially sensitive and managed by the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) on behalf of train operators, the Department is therefore not able to provide this information. The RDG can be contacted at info@raildeliverygroup.com.However, the Office of Rail and Road does publish data on the number of Disabled Persons Railcards in circulation, which can be found at: https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/statistics/passenger-experience/disabled-persons-railcards/.

Electric Scooters

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he plans to introduce new regulations for e-scooters.

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the effect of e-scooter usage on road and pedestrian safety.

Jesse Norman: No decisions have been made as to the detail of e-scooter regulation, and the Department will consult on any new regulations so that all interested parties have a chance to shape the new regime. As part of a small sample estimate within the national trials evaluation, the rental e-scooter casualty rate was estimated to be higher than pedal cycles (13 vs 3.9 casualties per million miles). This should be treated with caution as e-scooters were a new mode in 2021, and the evaluation also demonstrated most e-scooter collisions happened with inexperienced users. The Department regularly monitors STATS19 to examine trends in collisions involving e-scooters reported by the police. This covers both e-scooter riders and other road users, such as pedestrians. The Department continues to look at how it can improve road safety for pedestrians and road users.

Electric Vehicles: Secondhand Goods

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has made an assessment of the viability of the second hand market for electric vehicles.

Jesse Norman: Around 80% of cars are bought and sold through the second hand market. A viable second hand market for electric vehicles (EV) is therefore critical as the UK transition to zero emission vehicles. The Government is working with industry to monitor the health of the second hand EV market and to consider whether potential support is required on issues such as battery health metrics, consumer information, and affordability. As the 267,000 EVs sold in 2022 come onto the second hand market, motorists will be provided with even more choice over the next three to four years.

Electric Vehicles: Charging Points

Darren Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has made an assessment of his Department's progress on increasing the number of electric vehicle charging points across Bristol North West constituency.

Jesse Norman: The Government is supporting local authorities in England through its £381 million Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund.The West of England Combined Authority (WECA) has been allocated £6,644,000 of capital funding and £688,000 of capability funding through the LEVI Fund, to transform the availability of local charging infrastructure across the area, including Bristol North West. Capital funding covers the costs associated with the installation of EV chargepoints and resource funding will secure dedicated in-house expertise to support WECA to plan, procure and tender the delivery of local chargepoints. In addition, Bristol City Council has previously been awarded £284,000 for the installation of 155 public chargepoints through the On-Street Residential Chargepoint Scheme.

Transport: Freight

Martyn Day: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department plans to take to help support fuel transition within the freight transportation sector.

Mr Richard Holden: The Department is investing £200m into zero emission HGV and infrastructure demonstrators to provide the road freight industry with the evidence needed to make investment decisions and have the confidence to transition to zero emissions technologies sooner. As some vehicles may take longer to transition, the Department has published a call for evidence to identify suitable exemptions to the 2035 phase out dates for these vehicles. A formal response will be published in due course. Furthermore, the Freight Energy Forum brings together the energy and freight sectors and government to prioritise the provision of the energy infrastructure required to achieve a net zero freight sector.

Aviation: Carbon Emissions

Abena Oppong-Asare: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of emissions produced by private jets on the UK's ability to reach its net zero target.

Jesse Norman: The Department for Transport’s Jet Zero Strategy shows that the sector can achieve net zero aviation, which includes business aviation, by 2050 without government intervention to limit aviation growth. To support this the Department for Transport recently published independent research to establish a baseline of carbon emissions emitted by the General Aviation (GA) sector, which included private jets. It highlighted the need for the sector to focus on new fuels and technology, which have economic and social benefits, without limiting demand.

Delivery Services: Standards

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will introduce legislative proposals to ensure that gig economy delivery companies are responsible for (a) the roadworthiness of delivery vehicles and (b) the driving standards of delivery drivers who use their delivery app platforms.

Mr Richard Holden: Vehicles used for deliveries weighing over 3.5 tonnes are subject to the annual roadworthiness test and also fall under operator licensing requirements. Those vehicles used by delivery drivers weighing 3.5 tonnes or less are also subject to annual roadworthiness checks under what is commonly known as the MOT test. All drivers of goods vehicles used for commercial purposes are subject to the relevant drivers’ hours regulations.Vehicles used on the public road are required by law to be in a roadworthy condition.

Roads: Portsmouth South

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent steps his Department has taken to increase road safety in Portsmouth South.

Mr Richard Holden: The local council has responsibility for making decisions about local roads, based on its local knowledge and taking into account local needs. The Department for Transport provides guidance to traffic authorities on various traffic management measures. Portsmouth council was allocated £3.65million in 2022/23 for highways maintenance and small transport projects, which help maintain the overall road environment. Portsmouth council was additionally awarded £1.3million from the Safer Roads Fund in 2022/23.

Vehicle Certification Agency: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much the Vehicle Certification Agency spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Mr Richard Holden: Nothing.

Maritime and Coastguard Agency: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much the Maritime and Coastguard Agency spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Mr Richard Holden: Nothing.

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Mr Richard Holden: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) spent £40,574 on equality and diversity training in the financial year 2022-2023.

Parking

Paula Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what personal information on (a) vehicle owners and (b) registered keepers can be provided to private parking enforcement companies through the KADOE system.

Mr Richard Holden: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) records the details of UK vehicles and their registered keepers. The DVLA does not record owners of vehicles. In response to requests from private parking companies received via the keeper at date of event service, the DVLA provides the name and address of the registered keeper. The vehicle registration number is also quoted back to the requestor.

Roads: Repairs and Maintenance

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he is taking steps to encourage local authorities to increase their use of artificial intelligence to identify the presence of potholes.

Mr Richard Holden: In England, local highway authorities have a duty under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980 to maintain the highways network in their area. To ensure they fulfil those duties, all local highway authorities have an inspection policy in place for their highway network. Aside from the current requirement to provide the Department with road condition data obtained using SCANNER (Surface Condition Assessment for the Nationals Network of Roads), the Department does not prescribe how other highway inspections are undertaken but encourages local authorities to consider new technologies to help them manage and maintain their respective networks. Many local authorities are taking advantage of processes and systems that utilise artificial intelligence as part of their inspection regime.

Railways: Greater Manchester

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of upgrading Heaton Norris Junction to increase rail capacity in south east Greater Manchester.

Huw Merriman: The Manchester Task Force, which brings together DfT, Network Rail and local partners, will consider the Junction whilst looking at options to enhance the route between Piccadilly and Stockport.

Transport: Maidstone and the Weald

Mrs Helen Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make it his policy to reallocate funds allocated to HS2 in the South East to projects in Maidstone and the Weald constituency.

Huw Merriman: We are investing in transport across the country, with £6.5bn of reallocated HS2 funds being invested outside of the North and Midlands. This includes the extension of the £2 bus fare cap until the end of 2024 and billions to fix potholes in our roads, as well as road and rail upgrades and improvements.

High Speed 2 Line: West Coast Main Line

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has made an assessment of the potential need to reconfigure Heaton Norris Junction to (a) facilitate new local rail services through Stockport, (b) protect local rail services through Stockport and (c) facilitate future orbital Tram-Train services along the Stockport-Stalybridge line as a result of HS2 services using the West Coast Mainline.

Huw Merriman: No decisions have been made on the train service that will run when HS2 opens. These will be made in due course and be subject to consultation, taking advice from the industry.

High Speed 2 Line: West Coast Main Line

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact on (a) local rail services in south-east Greater Manchester and (b) the potential for new local rail services in south-east Greater Manchester of HS2 using the West Coast Mainline.

Huw Merriman: No decisions have been made on the train service that will run when HS2 opens. These will be made in due course and be subject to consultation, taking advice from the industry.

High Speed 2 Line: West Coast Main Line

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential impact on crossover capacity from Stockport station on the Stockport-Stalybridge line at Heaton Norris Junction of HS2 trains using the West Coast Mainline.

Huw Merriman: No decisions have been made on the train service that will run when HS2 opens. These will be made in due course and be subject to consultation, taking advice from the industry. These considerations will include passenger and freight services available on the West Coast Mainline from released capacity.

High Speed 2 Line: Stockport

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of HS2 trains using the West Coast Mainline on rail capacity at Stockport station.

Huw Merriman: No decisions have been made on the train services that will run when HS2 opens, including for Stockport Station. These decisions will be made in due course and be subject to consultation, taking advice from the industry.

Parking: Pedestrian Areas

Sir John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with representatives of people with sight loss on tackling pavement parking.

Mr Richard Holden: Officials in the Department meet organisations representing those with sight loss from time to time, but there have been no recent meetings specifically to discuss pavement parking.

A66: Brough Hill

Peter Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the proposed A66 expansion on (a) (i) health, (ii) safety and (iii) the environment at Brough Hill and (b) the cultural role of Brough Hill Fair for gypsy and traveller communities.

Mr Richard Holden: National Highway’s application for a Development Consent Order for the A66 Northern Trans-Pennine Project is currently subject to a determination by the Secretary of State. Following a 6-month examination of the application, a recommendation report was submitted to the Secretary of State by the Planning Inspectorate on 7 August 2023. The statutory deadline for a decision is 7 November 2023. I can reassure you that careful consideration will be given to the recommendation and all matters raised on this application before a final decision is made. The reasons for any decision will be set out in the decision letter. However, as this is a live application I am unable to comment further..

Roads: Construction

Derek Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress has been made on (a) the upgrade to the A30 between Penzance and Camborne and (b) other road schemes submitted for consideration in the third road investment strategy.

Mr Richard Holden: The Government recognises the importance of the A30 as a key strategic route into and through Cornwall. Widening of the 2.8-mile section between Temple and Higher Carblake was completed in 2017 as part of RIS1. We are currently upgrading the A30 into a dual carriageway north of Truro between Chiverton and Carland Cross, as part of RIS2. This £330 million scheme will mean the A30 will be a continuous dual carriageway from the M5 to Camborne. National Highways is assessing the viability of options for improvements to the A30 from Camborne to Penzance. This work, which is at an early stage, will inform possible enhancements as part of future Road Investment Strategies beyond 2030.

National Highways: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much the National Highways spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Mr Richard Holden: £11,700.

Local Government: CCTV

Charlotte Nichols: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the evidential basis is for his statement made on 3 October 2023 that local authorities were planning to use CCTV to restrict people’s movements.

Mr Richard Holden: I refer the hon lady to the plans, supported at the time by Labour councillors, to introduce restrictions on roads in Oxfordshire, which, enforced by ANPR, would allow residents a limited allocation of days to drive down certain roads in the area.

Road Works

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to help reduce the impact of road works on delays for motorists.

Mr Richard Holden: The Government recently published a Plan for Drivers which included support for further Lane Rental schemes. These reduce roadworks by incentivising utility companies to avoid the busiest roads at the busiest times, helping to reduce inconvenience for residents. The Department is due to consult shortly on requiring local authorities with Lane Rental schemes to use at least 50% of any surplus on pothole repairs or resurfacing poor quality roads.

Cycling: Urban Areas

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has plans to extend Mini-Holland schemes into (a) Portsmouth South constituency and (b) other cities.

Jesse Norman: Priorities for future investment are for local authorities, in this case Portsmouth City Council, to decide. The Government has provided £1.5 million to 19 local authorities to develop mini-Holland feasibility studies, followed by construction funding for three mini-Holland schemes in Suffolk and West Yorkshire as part of Active Travel Fund 4. The Government is investing at least £100 million of dedicated capital funding into active travel infrastructure over the next two years, including for mini-Holland schemes. Local authorities can also utilise a range of wider transport and levelling up funding sources.

Railway Stations: Silverstone

Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of a Silverstone International railway station following the cancellation of the second phase of HS2.

Huw Merriman: Following the Prime Minister’s announcement of the cancellation of the second phase of HS2, my Department is working through the detailed implications of this decision on the London to West Midlands section of the railway, including an assessment of the scope of the railway. The proposal for a station at Silverstone will form part of that assessment.

Transport: South Northamptonshire

Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of using funds released by the cancellation of the second phase of HS2 for (a) a new Silverstone International train station for the Grand Prix, (b) improving bus services and (c) other infrastructure in South Northamptonshire constituency.

Huw Merriman: On 4 October, the Prime Minister outlined plans for using funds released by the cancellation of the HS2 Phase 2a, HS2 Phase 2b Western Leg and HS2 East. Further details can be found in the published document “Network North: Transforming British Transport”. This includes a commitment to reallocate funding to deliver long-term settlements for 13 local authorities in the Midlands, including West Northamptonshire, which will help deliver a range of transport investments in these areas.

Railways: Compensation

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the transparency data entitled Train operating companies: Passenger’s Charter compensation, published on 25 August 2022, if he will provide updated data for the 2022-23 financial year.

Huw Merriman: Figures on rail passenger compensation paid by train operating companies for 2022/23 are due to be published imminently.

Wales Rail Board

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish submissions made by the Wales Rail Board to his Department.

Huw Merriman: The aim of the Wales Rail Board is to facilitate open and honest collaboration between the Welsh and UK Governments, and routine submissions to ministers are not in the public domain. Future formal outputs from the Board may be published by agreement between the UK and Welsh Government.

Active Travel England: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much the Active Travel England spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Jesse Norman: Active Travel England’s spend is included in the Department’s spending, referenced in UIN 201117.

Department for Transport: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much their Department spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-2023 financial year.

Jesse Norman: The Department has spent nothing on training on Diversity and Inclusion for the financial year 2022-2023. I refer the right honourable member to my answer of 2 May 2023.

Bus Services: Schools

Sir Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department is taking steps to help increase the affordability of bus travel for school children.

Mr Richard Holden: In England, the majority of bus services outside London operate on a commercial basis, and decisions about offering reduced or discounted fares for commercial bus services are predominantly for operators to take. Many bus operators currently offer discounted travel cards for younger people. Our most recent set of statistics shows that operators in 70 out of 84 travel concession authority areas in England, outside London, offered some form of discounted travel for young people. The Department for Transport is investing in the bus sector to deliver the ambitions of the National Bus Strategy to make bus services more reliable and cheaper. We are providing over £1 billion of funding for English Local Transport Authorities (LTAs) outside London to support the delivery of Bus Service Improvement Plans (BSIPs), some of which include the introduction of measures to reduce bus fares for young people. On 4 October, the Prime Minister also announced a further £1 billion for LTAs across the North and the Midlands to deliver their BSIPs. We have also announced a further £160 million of BSIP+ funding until April 2025 for LTAs to protect and enhance bus services, and deliver local fares initiatives. The Government has also allocated nearly £600 million to introduce a £2 fare cap on single bus fares in England outside London from 1 January 2023 to help passengers save on their regular travel costs. The Prime Minister announced on 4 October that this would be extended to 31 December 2024. The cap is available on over 5,000 routes, and services from participating operators that serve schools, are open to members of the public and run all year round are eligible for inclusion in the scheme.

Parking

Paula Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what charge the DVLA levies on private parking enforcement companies for fulfilling requests for information on (a) vehicle owners and (b) registered keepers through the KADOE system.

Paula Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much revenue the DVLA accumulated through fulfilling KADOE requests for private parking enforcement companies in financial years (a) 2019-20, (b) 2020-21 and (c) 2021-22.

Mr Richard Holden: The fee for vehicle keeper data requests is set at £2.50 per enquiry. This sum covers the cost of releasing the information.The total income for all data requests is as follows: 2019-20£23.29m2020-21£13.18m2021-22£23.90m The revenue received solely from dealing with requests from private parking companies cannot be separately identified from the wider range of requests for vehicle keeper details for other lawful purposes.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Sports: Scotland

John McNally: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 11 September 2023 to Question 196336 on Sports: Scotland and the stipulation that at least 40% of projects must benefit at least one other sport in addition to football on a sustained and regular basis, whether he has made an assessment of the (a) acceptability of the majority of funding being spent on astroturf pitches and (b) in that instance, the potential impact of that funding on (i) hockey and (ii) other sports that do not use fourth generation astroturf pitches.

Stuart Andrew: In Scotland, funding from the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme is delivered through the Scottish Football Association (SFA), with recipients chosen via an application process involving advice from a panel which includes Sport Scotland. At least 40% of the funding must go towards multi-sport projects, and the SFA works closely with Sport Scotland to deliver this funding.4G pitches are not widely used - Department for Culture, Media and Sport investment is generally used to deliver third generation (3G) synthetic surfaces in line with industry standard.As per guidance, competitive hockey cannot be played on 3G surfaces but those pitches can still be used for training purposes and for other sports e.g rugby (where shock-pads are installed).

Department for Culture, Media and Sport: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much their Department spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-2023 financial year.

Sir John Whittingdale: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all equality, diversity and inclusion expenditure in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming to deliver a leaner, more efficient Government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the autumn.

Tickets: Touting

Barbara Keeley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has held discussions with (a) artist representatives and (b) live music businesses on the report by the Competition and Markets Authority entitled Secondary Ticketing, published on 16 August 2021.

Sir John Whittingdale: His Majesty’s Government is committed to supporting fair and transparent ticket pricing and tackling unacceptable behaviour in this market.Officials at the Department for Culture, Media & Sport and at the Department for Business & Trade engage with a number of key organisations and people operating in the ticketing and live music sectors on the opportunities and challenges facing the sectors, including in relation to ticketing and the Competition and Markets Authority's (CMA's) report on enforcement of the secondary ticketing market. This engagement has included STAR (the Society of Ticket Agents and Retailers, the self-regulatory body for the entertainment ticketing industry in the UK), the CMA, Fanfair Alliance (the campaigning body against industrial scale online ticket touting), and the live music sector.

Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Sir John Whittingdale: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all equality, diversity and inclusion expenditure in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming to deliver a leaner, more efficient Government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the autumn.

Treasure Valuation Committee: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much the Treasure Valuation Committee spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Sir John Whittingdale: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all equality, diversity and inclusion expenditure in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming to deliver a leaner, more efficient Government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the autumn.

British Museum: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much the British Museum spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much the Horniman Public Museum and Public Park Trust spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much the Imperial War Museum spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much the National Gallery spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much National Museums Liverpool spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much the National Portrait Gallery spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much the Natural History Museum spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much the Royal Armouries Museum spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much the Royal Museums Greenwich spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much the Science Museum Group spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much the Sir John Soane's Museum spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much Tate spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much the Victoria and Albert Museum spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much the Wallace Collection spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Sir John Whittingdale: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all equality, diversity and inclusion expenditure in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming to deliver a leaner, more efficient Government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the autumn.

Theatres Trust: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much the Theatres Trust spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Sir John Whittingdale: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all equality, diversity and inclusion expenditure in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming to deliver a leaner, more efficient Government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the autumn.

Advisory Council on National Records and Archives: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much the Advisory Council on National Records and Archives spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Sir John Whittingdale: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all equality, diversity and inclusion expenditure in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming to deliver a leaner, more efficient Government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the autumn.

British Library: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much the British Library spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Sir John Whittingdale: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all equality, diversity and inclusion expenditure in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming to deliver a leaner, more efficient Government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the autumn.

Arts Council England: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much Arts Council England spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Sir John Whittingdale: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all equality, diversity and inclusion expenditure in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming to deliver a leaner, more efficient Government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the autumn.

National Archives: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much the National Archives spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Sir John Whittingdale: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all equality, diversity and inclusion expenditure in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming to deliver a leaner, more efficient Government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the autumn.

The Royal Parks: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much the Royal Parks spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Sir John Whittingdale: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all equality, diversity and inclusion expenditure in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming to deliver a leaner, more efficient Government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the autumn.

Historic Royal Palaces: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much Historic Royal Palaces spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Sir John Whittingdale: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all equality, diversity and inclusion expenditure in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming to deliver a leaner, more efficient Government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the autumn.

National Heritage Memorial Fund: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much the National Heritage Memorial Fund spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Sir John Whittingdale: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all equality, diversity and inclusion expenditure in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming to deliver a leaner, more efficient Government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the autumn.

Historic England: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much Historic England spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Sir John Whittingdale: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all equality, diversity and inclusion expenditure in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming to deliver a leaner, more efficient Government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the autumn.

Churches Conservation Trust: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much the Churches Conservation Trust spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Sir John Whittingdale: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all equality, diversity and inclusion expenditure in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming to deliver a leaner, more efficient Government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the autumn.

British Film Institute: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much the British Film Institute spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Sir John Whittingdale: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service.The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance.The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.

VisitBritain: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much VisitBritain spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much VisitEngland spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Sir John Whittingdale: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service.The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance.The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.

S4C: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has had recent discussions with the S4C Board on their level of spending on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Sir John Whittingdale: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service.The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance.The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.

BBC: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has had recent discussions with the BBC Board on their level of spending on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Sir John Whittingdale: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service.The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance.The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.

Channel Four Television: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has had recent discussions with the Channel 4 Board on their level of spending on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Sir John Whittingdale: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.

Sports Grounds Safety Authority: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much the Sports Grounds Safety Authority spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Stuart Andrew: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.

Gambling Commission: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much the Gambling Commission spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Stuart Andrew: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.

UK Anti-doping: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much UK Anti-Doping spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Stuart Andrew: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.

UK Sport: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much UK Sport spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Stuart Andrew: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.

Sport England: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much Sport England spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Stuart Andrew: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.

National Citizen Service Trust: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much the National Citizen Service spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Stuart Andrew: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.

National Lottery Community Fund: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much the National Lottery Community Fund spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Stuart Andrew: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.

Charity Commission: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much the Charity Commission spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Stuart Andrew: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.

Cultural Heritage: World War II

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to identify (a) stolen and (b) confiscated (i) treasures, (ii) art and (iii) other cultural assets that were lost during the Second World War.

Sir John Whittingdale: The UK has endorsed the Washington Principles on Nazi-confiscated art, which include identifying looted art and establishing mechanisms to consider claims for its return. Our national museums have undertaken detailed research of their collections to identify objects with uncertain provenance between the years 1933–45. The results have been published in a fully searchable spoliation database which is regularly updated. HM Government has also established the Spoliation Advisory Panel which advises on claims for the return of cultural objects lost during the German Third Reich and which are now in UK collections. The Panel currently holds the Presidency of the Network of Restitution Committees on Nazi-looted art which works to increase the effectiveness of provenance research and the sharing of information on Nazi-looted art, in the spirit of the Washington Declaration.

Listed Buildings: Protection

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans her Department has to improve the protection of listed buildings.

Sir John Whittingdale: It is a criminal offence to demolish a listed building, or to alter or extend it in a manner that would affect its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest, without obtaining listed building consent from the relevant local planning authority. In addition to this protection, HM Government is taking steps through the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill to improve the protection that can be afforded to vulnerable buildings while they are being considered for listing by simplifying the process for the service of building preservation notices by local planning authorities.

Cultural Heritage

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has made a recent assessment of the adequacy of safety and security at national heritage sites.

Sir John Whittingdale: His Majesty’s Government is committed to protecting the historic environment for the benefit of present and future generations, working closely with its public bodies to ensure that heritage sites in state ownership have adequate safety and security. Responsibility for such issues at other heritage sites rests with their owners or occupiers.

National Lottery Heritage Fund: Religious Buildings

Sir Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what percentage of the National Heritage Lottery Fund’s grants were awarded to local churches, chapels and meeting houses open for worship, excluding cathedrals, in financial years (a) 2017-18, (b) 2018-19, (c) 2019-20, (d) 2020-21, (e) 2021-22 and (f) 2022-23.

Sir John Whittingdale: The UK’s places of worship are a major recipient of funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Churches of various sizes and denominations have benefited from National Lottery investment, ensuring that those who care for them can continue to share the significant and cherished heritage they represent with local residents and visitors alike.In 2017–18, 13% of National Lottery Heritage Funding was awarded to local churches, chapels, and meeting-houses excluding cathedrals. In 2018–19, 15% of funding was awarded in this way. In 2019–20, 9% of funding was awarded in this way. In 2020–21, 5% of funding was awarded in this way. In 2021–22, 8% of funding was awarded in this way. In 2022–23, 8% of funding was awarded in this way.

People's Postcode Lottery

Sir Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what information her Department holds on the number charities that are funded through the charity lotteries managed by People’s Postcode Lottery that reached their annual sales limit in the last 12 months; and if her Department will bring forward legislative proposals to raise those limits.

Stuart Andrew: The Government recognises the importance of society lotteries as a fundraising tool for charities and other organisations. Society lotteries are a vital source of funds for these organisations, raising over £400 million a year.In 2020, we legislated to raise the annual sales limit for large society lotteries from £10 million to £50 million. Each organisation with a society lottery licence is therefore able to sell up to £50 million of tickets per year. Most society lottery operators have sales well within this annual limit, meaning there is plenty of scope for them to continue to grow.The People’s Postcode Lottery (PPL) has indicated that 4 trusts are at the £50m limit and 10 trusts are expected to reach it by 2025. We have shared advice with PPL on mechanisms under the current framework that could help alleviate the pressure on their higher selling trusts.

Rugby: Injuries

Stephanie Peacock: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the prevalence of degenerative brain conditions in former rugby union players.

Stuart Andrew: The safety, wellbeing, and welfare of everyone taking part in sport is paramount. My department is committed to working alongside the Department for Health and Social Care on issues relating to head injuries in sport, and have ongoing official level engagement on this issue.The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has worked with sporting bodies and others to develop a single set of shared concussion guidelines for grassroots sport across the UK, which were published on 28 April 2023. We continue to encourage sports governing bodies to adapt the guidelines to their own sport where appropriate.Further research on the links between health, dementia and contact sport is needed to better understand the issue. My department has established a new Sports Concussion Research Forum to identify key research questions that need answering in this important area.

Football: Injuries

Stephanie Peacock: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the prevalence of anterior cruciate ligament injuries in women’s football.

Stuart Andrew: It has been well documented that female football players are around three times more likely to suffer an ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) injury than their male counterparts.The Review of Women’s Football, published in July this year, examined the strategic priorities for the development of women's football and made recommendations on the future direction of the women's game. It highlighted the lack of sport exercise and scientific research which currently exists in women’s sport and that only 6% of sport exercise and science research involves only women. This lack of awareness means female athletes are often not being given the protection, expertise and support they need.The Government has been speaking to the football authorities on all matters within the review, and is due to respond to the review in the autumn. We will address ACL injuries directly in that response, holding relevant stakeholders to account for action around player welfare.

Football: Licensing

Stephanie Peacock: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the policy paper entitled A sustainable future - reforming club football governance, published on 23 February 2023, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of requiring an equality, diversity and inclusion action plan as a condition of the football club licensing process.

Stuart Andrew: The Government supports calls for further action to be taken on a range of issues in the domestic game, including equality, diversity and inclusion. We welcome the industry’s ongoing efforts to improve transparency and its commitment to provide equity and fair opportunities for all. Since the publication of the Fan-Led Review, the football leagues and the FA have introduced enhanced equality requirements for football clubs.The Government acknowledges that there is still more progress to be made and will continue to work with the leagues, the FA, and other organisations to encourage reform where appropriate.However, as set out in the White Paper and the government response to the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee consultation, the primary strategic purpose of the Regulator will be to ensure that English football is sustainable and resilient for the benefit of fans and the local communities that football clubs serve. As such, the Regulator will focus on the financial sustainability of clubs, the systemic stability of the football pyramid and protecting club heritage.Action on wider issues, including equality, diversity and inclusion, is best led by industry.

Cricket: Clubs

Simon Jupp: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what financial support is available to cricket clubs in England.

Stuart Andrew: We provide the majority of support for grassroots sport including cricket through our Arms Length Body, Sport England - which receives over £100 million in Exchequer funding each year.As a system partner of Sport England the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has received £11.6 million of funding covering the years 2022-2027 to grow and develop cricket across the country.Since 2019, Sport England has invested a further £23.6 million in projects and schemes which enable participation in cricket. This includes £9,564 of support that has been provided to clubs in the East Devon constituency in response to issues such as Covid-19 and emergency funding for storm-damaged facilities.Further information on funding options available from both the ECB and Sport England can be found on the ECB’s website- Here

Football: Licensing

Stephanie Peacock: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the policy paper entitled A sustainable future - reforming club football governance, published on 23 February 2023, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of requiring fans to be given a golden share as a condition of the football club licensing process.

Stephanie Peacock: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the policy paper entitled A sustainable future - reforming club football governance, published on 23 February 2023, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of requiring the establishment of a shadow board of fans as a condition of the football club licensing process.

Stuart Andrew: The football governance white paper set out how we will put fans back at the heart of football.The Independent Football Regulator will introduce strong new legal protections to safeguard the heritage of clubs and ensure fans’ voices are heard. Clubs will not be able to make changes to their badge or home shirt colours without explicit fan approval. The Government has worked with the FA to ensure these protections are in place now, and the Regulator will act as a statutory backstop to ensure this cannot change.The Regulator must approve any proposal to move or sell the stadium, and must consider the views of fans and impact on club heritage where a relocation is sought. Clubs can only participate in competitions which are approved by the Regulator against a set of published criteria. This will prevent English clubs from joining unapproved breakaway leagues such as the European Super League.This will provide fans with irreversible, strong legal protections to prevent damage to the most important aspects of their clubs.The Government is committed to delivering on the Football Governance White Paper and will legislate where parliamentary time allows.

Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department took to help ensure that streets were (a) safe and (b) not overcrowded during the coronation.

Stuart Andrew: The Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla was a hugely important state occasion, which brought millions of people around the country together in celebration, and showcased the best of the United Kingdom to the world. The Government is delighted to have supported the Coronation to ensure that the events were safe and well-planned.Robust measures were put in place to ensure the ceremonial route was safe and not overcrowded during the Coronation. These measures included detailed planning alongside a range of partners and crowd management experts, incorporating best practice and lessons from previous events. All space was managed to ensure that there were no concerns relating to crowd safety.The public viewing areas to watch the Coronation procession were open to the general public from 6am on Saturday 6th May. The government guidance published ahead of the Coronation made clear that capacity at the viewing areas was limited and that they would be closed when they were full. Due to the large numbers of members of the public viewing the event, it was indeed necessary to close the viewing areas once they reached capacity.

Sports: Rural Areas

Dr Neil Hudson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to support sports clubs in rural areas.

Stuart Andrew: We know that active people are fitter, happier and healthier - which is why in our new Sport Strategy - 'Get Active’ - we set out an ambitious strategy to boost our national health by getting 3.5 million extra active people by 2030. This includes bold targets to reach communities with the lowest levels of physical activity.The Government provides the majority of support for grassroots sport through our Arms Length Body, Sport England. Since 2019, we have invested over £773,000 in the Penrith and Borders area supporting projects such as the refurbishment of the Hunsonby Community Centre, the Wigton Baths Trust and the Castle Park tennis project. A further £50,000 has been invested in the area as part of the Multi-Sports Grassroots Facilities Investment programme, providing funding for new goalposts, floodlights and improving grass pitch surfaces.Building on their 12 local delivery pilot areas in areas such as Withernsea, Sport England is expanding their place-based work so that at least 75% of their investment is committed to areas with the lowest levels of physical activity and social outcomes.Sport England are using a range of data sources to inform this approach, including physical activity data from the Active Lives Surveys as well as wider social data including IMD, community need and health inequalities data. These datasets help to identify a range of communities, including rural communities, across England that need support to become more active.

Sports: Demonstrations

Mark Logan: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to help prevent protestors from disrupting sporting events.

Stuart Andrew: We must protect the right to peaceful protest, but that does not give licence to a vocal minority to spoil events that millions of us enjoy.The Home Secretary and the Culture Secretary have chaired productive discussions, with sports, police and government united against preventing further disruption of this kind. The Government has taken action to support the police in their efforts to prevent disruption at major sporting events, including giving them more powers through the Public Order Act 2023. This criminalised actions like ‘locking on’, allowing police to stop and search protesters for items like padlocks and superglue if they suspect they are setting out to cause disruption. We will continue to support sports organisations in their planning as necessary.

Sport England: Finance

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much funding her Department has provided to Sport England in each of the last three financial years.

Stuart Andrew: The departmental funding in the form of Grant-in-aid to Sport England over the last 3 years is as follows:Financial Year£000s2020-21222,150 *2021-22163,761*2022-23113,571*These figures include additional investment to deliver the National Leisure Recovery Fund (NLRF) and the Sport Survival Package (SSP).

Sports: Facilities

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many times Sport England has used statutory powers to restrict community access to sports (a) pitches and (b) other facilities in the latest period for which data is available.

Stuart Andrew: Sport England does not proactively record the number of times they have used statutory powers to restrict community access to pitches or facilities.Recent records show that between 2021 and 2023, Sport England introduced two planning conditions to limit community use to some degree, so as to not undermine the viability of nearby sites.

Football Foundation: Finance

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much funding her Department has provided to the Football Foundation in each of the last three financial years.

Stuart Andrew: The government has committed to delivering the facilities that every community needs and is investing over £300m across the UK between 2021 and 2025 as a step towards that ambition - including a £230m uplift, on top of an existing £18m annual commitment in England.Since 2021, DCMS has provided £184.2m of funding to the Football Foundation:2021/22 - £39m2022/23 - £64.2m2023/24 - £81m

Sports: Facilities

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what progress she has made on (a) increasing the provision of and (b) improving sports pitches in the last five years.

Stuart Andrew: We know that active people are fitter, happier and healthier - which is why in our new Sport Strategy - 'Get Active’ - we set out an ambitious strategy to boost our national health by getting 3.5 million extra active people by 2030.To help achieve this, Government is investing over £300 million between 2021 and 2025 to make essential facility improvements, so that communities have high-quality pitches to play on.In 2021/22, 177 grassroots facilities projects across the UK were supported through the Football Foundation in England and the Football Associations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. This includes the creation or resurfacing of over 80 artificial grass pitches, over 20 grass pitch improvements, and other projects such as changing rooms, floodlights and goalposts. Over 1,600 sites benefitted from funding in 2022/23 across a similar range of projects, improving both provision and quality of pitches.2023/24 projects are currently being selected and we expect to publish this list of projects shortly.

Tourism: North West

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has made an assessment of the impact of the Manchester City Visitor Charge on tourism in the North West of England.

Sir John Whittingdale: On 1 April 2023, Manchester introduced a City Visitor Charge, whereby overnight guests in city centre hotels or holiday apartments will be charged £1 a night per room. The revenue raised from this will fund the new Manchester Accommodation Business Improvement District (ABID), which aims to improve the visitor experience and support future growth of the visitor economy over the next five years.HM Government does not have any plans to introduce a national tourism tax or a pilot scheme for such a tax in local areas. An assessment on the potential impact of said tax on tourist numbers and tourists’ experiences, including in the North West, has therefore not been made.

Television Licences: Enforcement

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what data his Department holds on the number of enforcement property visits that were carried out by the Television Licensing Authority in each year between 2015 and 2022.

Sir John Whittingdale: The BBC is operationally independent of the Government, and is not specifically required to publish how many home visits the Television Licensing Authority has made.The Department for Culture, Media and Sport does not hold further information on the number of enforcement visits made by Television Licensing.

Local Press

Ben Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department plans to provide support to local press organisations affected by proposed reductions in BBC funding for local news and radio.

Sir John Whittingdale: The Government is committed to supporting local and regional news outlets as vital pillars of communities and local democracy. They play an essential role in holding power to account, keeping the public informed of local issues and providing reliable, high-quality information.To date the Government’s support for the sector has included:Introducing legislation for a new, pro-competition regime for digital markets, which among many other things will help to rebalance the relationship between news publishers and dominant online platforms;The delivery of a £2 million pilot innovation fund - the Future News Fund;The zero rating of VAT on e-newspapers;The extension of a 2017 business rates relief on local newspaper office space until 2025;The publication of the Online Media Literacy Strategy.The BBC is editorially and operationally independent of the Government, and decisions about how it delivers its services are ultimately a matter for the Corporation. However, the Government has been clear that the BBC must make sure it continues to provide distinctive and genuinely local content that reflects and represents people and communities from all corners of the UK. These services are a key part of the BBC’s public service remit and an example of how the BBC can use its licence fee funding to provide content that is directly relevant to audiences, particularly in areas that may be underserved by the market.The Government expects Ofcom as the BBC’s independent regulator to ensure the BBC is robustly held to account in delivering its public service duties.

Local Press: Finance

Nadia Whittome: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the implications for its policies of the financial sustainability of the regional press industry.

Nadia Whittome: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has taken recent steps to help support the financial sustainability of the regional press industry.

Sir John Whittingdale: The Government is committed to supporting local and regional newspapers as vital pillars of communities and local democracy. They play an essential role in holding power to account, keeping the public informed of local issues and providing reliable, high-quality information.We are working to support journalism and local newsrooms to ensure the sustainability of this vital industry. This includes our new digital markets regime, which will help rebalance the relationship between the most powerful platforms and those who rely on them – including press publishers. This will make an important contribution to the sustainability of the press, including at local level.Additionally, our support for the sector has included the delivery of the £2 million Future News Fund; the zero rating of VAT on e-newspapers; the extension of a 2017 business rates relief on local newspaper office space until 2025; the publication of the Online Media Literacy Strategy; and the BBC also supports the sector directly, through the £8m it spends each year on the Local News Partnership, including the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.

Media: Criminal Investigation

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will commission research on the potential impact of media reporting on suspects under criminal investigation who have not been charged on the (a) mental health and (b) wellbeing of such individuals.

Sir John Whittingdale: Media reporting on suspects who have not been charged is constrained by the law of contempt, by revised College of Policing guidance on when it is appropriate for the police to name suspects, and by the reasonable expectation, established by past legal action, that suspects will not be identified.DCMS has no current plans to commission research on the potential impact on the mental health and wellbeing of suspects under criminal investigation.

Cinemas: Royalties

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether officials in her Department have received representations from (a) the UK Cinema Association and (b) cinemas acting independently of the association on the potential impact of a rise in performing rights fees as proposed by PRS for Music.

Sir John Whittingdale: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) continues to work closely with the UK’s cinema sector. DCMS has received representations from the UK Cinema Association and individual cinemas, primarily via their local MPs, regarding the potential impact of a rise in performing rights fees proposed by PRS for Music.As DCMS has set out in response to these representations, this is a commercial matter for the film and music industries to resolve.

BBC: Disclosure of Information

Adam Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will take steps to encourage the BBC to publish the 2004 Balen Report.

Sir John Whittingdale: The BBC is editorially and operationally independent from the Government, and this is an issue for the BBC.

BBC: Hamas

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had recent discussions with the Chair of the BBC on the appropriate description of Hamas in its news coverage.

Sir John Whittingdale: The events in Israel since 7 October are terrorist acts committed by a terrorist organisation, proscribed in the United Kingdom since 2021 and designated as such by many other governments and international organisations.The BBC is editorially and operationally independent and decisions around its editorial policies and guidelines are therefore a matter for the BBC not the Government.However, calling these acts what they are, and accurately labelling the perpetrators, helps audiences to understand what has happened, is happening and its context.That is why the Secretary of State has communicated with the BBC, and with the public, her disappointment that the BBC has refused to describe Hamas as terrorists, or the atrocities it has carried out as terrorism. The Secretary of State made that point when she met the Director General of the BBC on 9 October.

Radio and Television

Gavin Newlands: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has made an assessment of the social value to (a) the elderly, (b) rural communities and (c) vulnerable people of free to air broadcast (i) TV and (ii) radio services.

Sir John Whittingdale: The Government remains committed to the future of free to air TV and radio services. Millions of households across the UK rely on these services, particularly vulnerable people, the elderly and rural communities. We also recognise the crucial role that free-to-air television and radio services play in the wider UK broadcasting system, in particular in helping ensure that public service content continues to be widely available and free-to-air to all audiences.More detailed data on the usage of free-to-air radio and TV is available from a variety of sources. For example, Ofcom produces its Media Nations report which reviews key trends in the media sector and sets out how audiences are served across the UK. The most recent report was published in August 2023 and can be found here. Ofcom also publishes the results of a number of annual surveys addressing these issues, as well as an interactive data set in the form of its annual Communications Market Report. Many of these publications include relevant analysis broken down by age group and/or geographic area.The Department for Culture, Media and Sport also commissions and publishes its own research on a range of topics, including in relation to radio and TV. For example, the Digital Radio and Audio Review (published October 2021) looked at the landscape for radio over the coming years, and noted that traditional radio, including FM services, was valued by many listeners – particularly those who were older or vulnerable.We have also recently launched a major research and engagement programme looking at how UK audiences will get their TV in the decades to come, including digital terrestrial television (DTT), satellite, cable, and online.Before any decisions about the future of terrestrial television are made, close consideration will be given to how any changes would impact audiences, and especially those who rely on DTT as their primary means of watching television.

Television: Digital Broadcasting

Gavin Newlands: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has made an estimate of the potential impact on the cost of living of digital terrestrial television ending in 2034.

Sir John Whittingdale: The Government remains committed to the future of digital terrestrial television (DTT), the technology which underpins Freeview. Millions of households across the UK, including in Scotland, rely on DTT. This is particularly true of rural communities and older people.We also recognise the crucial role that DTT services play in the wider UK broadcasting system, in particular in helping ensure that public service content continues to be widely available and free-to-air to all audiences.For these reasons, the Government has already legislated to secure the continuity of DTT until at least 2034.As the sector evolves, it is right that we continue to evaluate the future distribution of television services. To that end, and as set out in the Broadcasting White Paper, the Government has asked Ofcom to continue to track changes in DTT viewing and to undertake an early review on market changes that may affect the future of content distribution before the end of 2025.We have also recently launched a major research and engagement programme looking at how UK audiences will get their TV in the decades to come, including DTT, satellite, cable, and online.Before any decisions about the future of terrestrial television are made, close consideration will be given to how any changes would impact audiences, and especially those who rely on DTT as their primary means of watching television.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

Parking: Digital Technology

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of trends in the number of car parks using pay and display machines on people who have difficulties using digital technology.

Jacob Young: The Secretary of State wrote to all local authorities in England in April 2023 setting out expectations that parking services, for which councils are responsible, should remain accessible to older people or those with vulnerabilities. A copy of the letter was deposited in the Library of the House, and is available here.

Public Houses: Regional Planning and Development

Dame Andrea Jenkyns: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what role public houses have in his Department's leveling up policies; and what steps his Department is taking to utilise them.

Jacob Young: The Community Ownership Fund has awarded funding to protect a wide range of community assets that are important to communities, including £8 million for 33 Pubs.We recognise that Pubs can help to form vital parts of our social fabric and boost pride in place by bringing people together and help to tackle loneliness and social isolation.Pubs provide a range of services for the communities they serve, and the Community Ownership Fund helps local groups to secure the futures of pubs in their communities.

Refugees: Afghanistan

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to the oral statement of 19 September 2023 by the Minister for Veterans Affairs, Official Report columns 1253 to 1255, how many Afghan families in temporary accommodation under the local authority homelessness provision received at least one offer of permanent accommodation before 31 August 2023.

Felicity Buchan: This information is not held by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

Charities: Fire Prevention

Marsha De Cordova: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department provides financial support for registered charities to cover (a) a waking watch and (b) other fire remediation costs.

Lee Rowley: Registered charities may submit an application to the Waking Watch Replacement Fund, the Building Safety Fund and/or the Cladding Safety Scheme if they are the responsible entity (usually the freeholder) of a building that meets the eligibility requirements of these funding schemes. This includes registered charities that provide of social housing if they are the responsible entity for the building. Further information on the eligibility criteria is available through the Waking Watch Replacement Fund; the Building Safety Fund ; and the Cladding Safety Scheme.

Public Houses: Planning

Ian Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he plans to amend planning regulations for pubs through the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill.

Ian Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of proposals in the Levelling up and Regeneration Bill on high street rental auctions on pubs.

Jacob Young: This Government recognises that British pubs lie at the heart of our communities and will often be a much-valued community asset, which is why through the community ownership fund, we have protected 33 pubs with £8 million of funding from the UK Government.High Street Rental Auctions (HSRAs), contained within the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill, will be a permissive power for local authorities, which they can use alongside other regeneration tools at their discretion. The Government has recently consulted on several areas of HSRA policy.The consultation sought, in part, views on the introduction of two new permitted development rights that would facilitate the change of a premises' planning use in certain circumstances. The consultation closed on 7 July, and we are currently analysing responses. As such it would be inappropriate to pre-empt the outcome of the consultation.

Homelessness: Young People

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his Department's policies of the report by Centre Point entitled Human costs and lost potential: the real cost of youth homelessness, published on 12 September 2023; and if he will make a statement.

Dr Rupa Huq: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps his Department is taking to help tackle youth homelessness.

Felicity Buchan: I refer the Hon Member to my answer to Question UIN 201488 on 23 October 2023.

Empty Property

Mike Amesbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of existing (a) mechanisms and (b) funding available to local authorities to utilise empty homes to help reduce (i) homelessness and (ii) local housing demand.

Mike Amesbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment he has made of the impact of long-term empty residential homes on reducing the level of (a) homelessness and (b) local housing demand.

Felicity Buchan: We want to encourage empty homes back into use, and empower local leaders to invest in their communities. Local authorities already have many powers and strong incentives to tackle empty homes and it is right that local leaders decide how to use those tools to meet local housing needs. It is for local authorities to decide when to use their powers to deal with empty properties, and they have the flexibility to focus on locally determined priorities and allocate their resources accordingly.Through the New Homes Bonus, local authorities receive the same level of reward for bringing an empty home back into use as building a new home. Billing authorities in England also have the power to charge up to 100% extra council tax - on top of the standard bill - on properties that have been unoccupied and unfurnished for at least two years, up to 200% extra on properties that have been empty for at least five years, and up to 300% extra on properties that have been empty for at least 10 years.

Local Housing Allowance: Temporary Accommodation

Mike Amesbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of maintaining the freeze to Local Housing Allowance rates on levels of spending on temporary accommodation for local authorities.

Mike Amesbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment he has made of the impact of the (a) Rough Sleepers Accommodation Programme, (b) Single Homelessness Accommodation Programme and (c) the Local Authority Housing Fund on trends in the level of (i) homelessness and (ii) local housing demand in the last 12 months; and if he will take steps to establish a new funding package to enable local authorities to utilise (A) empty homes and (B) other property acquisitions to increase the supply of affordable housing.

Felicity Buchan: As of April 2023, our Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme delivered 4,920 homes for rough sleepers across England.The £200 million Single Homelessness Accommodation Programme was announced in September 2022 aiming to deliver up to 2,400 homes in the highest areas of need for adults experiencing severe multiple disadvantage and specialist accommodation for young people who are, or at risk of, rough sleeping. This is in addition to the £750 million Local Authority Housing Fund.Local authorities already have many powers and strong incentives to tackle empty homes. Our Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill will give councils further powers.On the question regarding Local Housing Allowance rates, I refer the Hon Member to the answer given on 8 March 2023, in response to Question UIN 155208.

Homelessness: Young People

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps his Department plans to take to end youth homelessness.

Felicity Buchan: I refer my Hon Friend to the answer I gave to Question UIN 199217 on 20 September 2023.The Government also recently announced the expansion of the DWP's Youth Offer to over 30,000 economically inactive young people. The DWP Youth Offer provides individually tailored work coach support to young people aged 16 to 24 who are on Universal Credit in order to move them closer to the labour market.

Homelessness: Havering

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what support his Department is providing in (a) the London Borough of Havering and (b) other parts of London to reduce homelessness.

Felicity Buchan: The Government is supporting local authorities to reduce homelessness and rough sleeping through, for example, the Homelessness Prevention Grant (HPG) and the Rough Sleeping Initiative (RSI). Data on allocation of funding through the HPG and RSI are available here and here respectively.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities: Staff

Ms Anum Qaisar: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how many grade (a) 6, (b) 7 and (c) SCS staff employed by his Department are contractually based in (i) Scotland, (ii) London and (iii) the South East.

Jacob Young: Civil Service workforce data, including data on location of staff, is published on an annual basis – the latest publication is available here.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how much their Department spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how much the Architects Registration Board spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how much the Boundary Commission for England spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how much the Building Regulations Advisory Committee spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how much the Ebbsfleet Development Corporation spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how much the HM Land Registry spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how much Homes England spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how much the Housing Ombudsman spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how much the Leasehold Advisory Service spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how much the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how much the Planning Inspectorate spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how much the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how much the Regulator of Social Housing spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how much the UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how much the Valuation Tribunal for England spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Jacob Young: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service.The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance.The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.

Local Government Finance

Charlotte Nichols: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how many requests have been made by local councils for capitalisation directives in the last 12 months; and of those, how many were accepted.

Charlotte Nichols: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what estimate he has made of the number of councils that will issue a section 114 notice in the next 24 months.

Charlotte Nichols: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how many local authorities have (a) raised concerns relating to their financial position and (b) requested financial assistance since 1 January 2023.

Charlotte Nichols: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of local councils warning that they may have to issue section 114 notices on (a) service delivery and (b) budgets.

Lee Rowley: The details of in-principle Exceptional Financial Support agreements with councils are published and available on gov.uk.Councils are responsible for setting their own budgets and taking decisions around spending. Any decision to issue a Section 114 notice is one taken at a local level and is not a matter for the department. The final Local Government Finance Settlement for 2023/24 makes available up to £59.7 billion for local government in England, an increase in Core Spending Power of up to £5.1 billion or 9.4% in cash terms on 2022/23.The department maintains a regular dialogue with the sector, and we understand the challenges being faced by local government. It is also the case that there have been local failures in financial management and governance in a small number of Councils in recent years; where this is the case the Government will take action, where necessary, to protect tax payer value for money. We stand ready to speak to any council that has concerns about its ability to manage its finances, whatever the cause.

Hate Crime

Afzal Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he has held meetings in 2023 on (a) Islamophobia and (b) hate crime against Muslims.

Lee Rowley: This Government is committed to doing everything we can to tackle anti-Muslim hatred, and all forms of prejudice in our society. Ministers across Government hold meetings covering these important issues regularly.DLUHC has allocated over £6 million to support Tell MAMA since their inception in 2012 for their vital work monitoring and supporting victims of anti-Muslim hatred.In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of internal discussions are not normally disclosed. Details of meetings with external organisations are published on gov.uk.

Local Government Finance

Charlotte Nichols: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he has plans to resume issuing multi-year financial settlements to local councils.

Lee Rowley: We know that local authorities value multi-year certainty, as this allows them to plan spending over the longer term. That is why, in 2022, the Government published the local government finance policy statement , providing councils greater certainty on key aspects of their funding for the next two years to the end of this Spending Review. It is the Government’s intention to return to multi-year settlements in the next Parliament, when circumstances allow.

Local Government Finance

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how many local authorities were in deficit in the financial years (a) 2022-23 and (b) 2023-24.

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps his Department is taking to help support local authorities with budget deficits.

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department holds data on the number of local authorities that have frozen non-essential spending in (a) England and (b) Greater London.

Lee Rowley: The final Local Government Finance Settlement for 2023/24 makes available up to £59.7 billion for local government in England, an increase in Core Spending Power of up to £5.1 billion, or 9.4% in cash terms, on 2022/23.The majority of this funding is un-ringfenced, in recognition of local authorities being best placed to understand local priorities.

Planning Authorities: Eutrophication

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to remove nutrient neutrality rules placed on local planning authorities.

Rachel Maclean: The reforms we proposed in September would have unlocked 100,000 much needed homes while protecting and improving the environment.We were therefore disappointed that the reforms did not receive sufficient support in the House of Lords – perpetuating uncertainty and further delaying much needed homes.In line with the practice of successive administrations, legislation will be announced in the usual way.

Land: Registration

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what recent steps he has taken to help ensure HM Land Registry completes the registration of new titles where a previously registered plot has been divided.

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how many and what proportion of registrations for new titles where a previously registered plot has been divided have been completed by HM Land Registry within (a) three, (b) six, (c) 12 and (d) 24 months since 2013.

Rachel Maclean: The department does not hold the information in the format requested to answer question 201322, and it could only be provided at disproportionate cost. HMLR publishes information each month about its latest processing times on GOV.UK hereApplications to HM Land Registry (HMLR) are protected with priority from their date of receipt. Provided they contain the information required for registration, they are guaranteed to be processed. I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave to Question UIN 187953 on 14 June 2023 for information about the steps HMLR is taking to improve its speed of service.

Planning: Renewable Energy

Mark Logan: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what recent assessment he has made of the impact of the planning system on onshore renewable energy projects.

Rachel Maclean: The Government recognises the importance of onshore wind in meeting our net zero and carbon budget ambitions. In recognition of this, last month he National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) was updated to help make it easier and quicker for local planning authorities to consider and, where appropriate, approve onshore wind projects where there is local support.  We will keep the impact of this change under review.

Ground Rent

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he plans to introduce legislation to cap the ground rent at £250 per annum for properties with existing leases.

Rachel Maclean: Announcements will be made in the usual way.

Housing: Greater London

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he has had recent discussions with the Mayor of London on potential steps to improve the quality of new housing stock in Greater London.

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he has had discussions with officials in the London Borough of Havering on the quality of new housing stock in the borough.

Rachel Maclean: The department regularly engages with the Greater London Authority and the London Boroughs to maintain awareness of new housing stock across the city. All new housing stock is required to comply with building regulations. Details of external meetings are published on gov.uk.

Housing: Green Belt

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what his Department’s policy is on the building of (a) Traveller sites and (b) other forms of housing on greenfield land.

Rachel Maclean: The Planning Policy for Traveller Sites sets out that local planning authorities should limit very strictly new traveller site development in open countryside away from existing settlements or outside areas allocated in the development plan. Local Planning Authorities should ensure that sites in rural areas respect the scale of, and do not dominate, the nearest settled community, and avoid placing undue pressure on local infrastructure.Regarding other forms of housing, the National Planning Policy Framework states that planning policies and decisions should avoid the development of isolated homes in the countryside unless certain circumstances apply, such as an essential need for a rural worker, or design of exceptional quality. To promote sustainable development in rural areas, housing should be located where it will enhance or maintain the vitality of rural communities.

Social Rented Housing: Wimbledon

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the speed with which (a) London and Quadrant and (b) other social landlords in Wimbledon constituency have complied with their obligations under the Building Safety Act 2022; and if he will meet with (i) the hon. Member for Wimbledon and (ii) residents in Wimbledon constituency to discuss this matter.

Lee Rowley: The Regulator of Social Housing recently completed a Fire Remediation Survey on the progress that Registered Providers of social housing are making towards identifying and fixing fire safety defects in their stock above 11 metres. We intend to publish findings by the end of the year. I would be happy to meet with my Hon Friend to discuss remediation in his Wimbledon constituency, should that be helpful.

Local Government: Procurement

Mrs Helen Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that local authority contracts are (a) awarded following fair processes and (b) represent value for money.

Lee Rowley: Local authorities are independent statutory bodies accountable to their electorate.As public bodies, councils are subject to Procurement Contract Regulations (2015), which, subject to the will of Parliament, will be replaced as set out in the Transforming Public Procurement Bill.  The overarching aim of procurement regulations is to ensure open, fair, proportionate and transparent processes are adhered to. At the heart of procurement regulations is achieving value for money. Local authorities contract within these legal frameworks and are themselves responsible for evaluating and delivering value for money on behalf of their local residents.

Council Tax: Valuation

Rebecca Long Bailey: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of updating the valuations upon which Council Tax bands are set.

Rebecca Long Bailey: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment he has made of the impact of council tax on households with high and low (a) incomes and (b) value properties.

Rebecca Long Bailey: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department has undertaken an Equality Impact Assessment on the potential impact of council taxation on different households across England.

Rebecca Long Bailey: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to the Answer of 22 July 2021 to Question 33338, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing alternative forms of council taxation.

Lee Rowley: The Local Government Finance Settlement determines annually the amount by which local authorities can raise their council tax without a referendum. The Department undertakes a Public Sector Equalities Duty assessment to accompany each settlement. To ensure greater fairness in the system, the council tax system is mitigated by a range of reliefs and exemptions. Decisions on the level of council tax are a matter for individual local authorities.There are no current plans to change the system, or to undertake a revaluation of domestic properties.

Council Tax

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department has provided local authorities with guidance on schedule 1, part II of the Council Tax (Discount Disregards) Order 1992.

Lee Rowley: It is for individual local authorities to make their assessments as to whether a student meets the criteria for a council tax student disregard, based on the legislation and relevant caselaw.

Cabinet Office

Emergencies: Planning

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent meetings have taken place between the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and devolved administrations on national resilience.

Jeremy Quin: The Government holds regular resilience meetings with the Devolved Administrations. These include the UK Resilience Forum. The Deputy Prime Minister and I co-chaired the most recent meeting in July. I also chaired a Ministerial forum in Edinburgh in June with Devolved Administration colleagues to discuss resilience priorities and our respective progress against them. Cabinet Office officials also meet regularly with the Devolved Administrations on matters of national resilience at all levels of seniority to ensure we are coordinating our approach.

Cabinet Office and Prime Minister: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much (a) his Department and (b) the Prime Minister's Office spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-2023 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much his Department spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-2023 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much the UK Statistics Authority spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much the Crown Commercial Service spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much the Government Property Agency spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much the Civil Service Commission spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much the Equality and Human Rights Commission spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much the Committee on Standards in Public Life spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much the House of Lords Appointment Commission spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much United Kingdom Security Vetting spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much the Senior Salaries Review Body spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much the Social Mobility Commission spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much the Commissioner for Public Appointments spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much the Evaluation Task Force spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much Government Estates Management spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much the Incubator for Automation and Innovation team spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much the Independent Adviser on Ministers Interests spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much the Infrastructure and Projects Authority spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much the Office of the Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much the Privy Council Office spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much the UK Commission on Covid Commemoration spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much the civil service spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much the Government Communications Headquarters spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much the HM Government Communications Centre spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office,  how much the Secret Intelligence Service spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much the Infrastructure and Projects Authority spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Jeremy Quin: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service.The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance.The findings and actions of the audit will be announced in due course.

Government Departments: Cost Effectiveness

Jim Shannon: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department has taken recent steps to (a) increase efficiency in Government Departments and (b) reduce the number of civil servants.

Jeremy Quin: The Government is committed to increasing efficiency in Departments. The Cabinet Office and HM Treasury continue to deliver the efficiencies identified through the Efficiency and Savings Review undertaken earlier this year, building on the 5% efficiency challenge set at Spending Review 2021.This summer the Cabinet Office published £4.4bn of savings generated by the government functions in 2021/22 as part of an ongoing programme. The Government also published the Government Efficiency Framework to drive efficiencies through more accurate reporting and appropriate oversight to track delivery.The Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a cap to the Civil Service's expansion, putting in place a plan to reduce its numbers to pre-pandemic levels and to increase public sector productivity.

Senior Civil Servants: Women

Kirsty Blackman: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what proportion of civil servants on full-time equivalent contracts at senior civil servant pay band two (SCS2) are women.

Jeremy Quin: As at April 2023 the percentage of Senior Civil Servants (SCS) at Director level (Payband 2) working full-time who are women is 41.0%.The answer has been calculated by dividing the number of women at Payband 2 in the Senior Civil Service by the total number of staff in the Senior Civil Service at Payband 2 where sex is known. All Civil Service organisations have been included in the calculation.On Civil Service recruitment more broadly, in 2022/23 more than half of new entrants to the Civil Service were women (54.1%) up from 51.6% in 2021/22. 53.9% of promotions to the Senior Civil Service were women.

Cabinet Office: Women

Kirsty Blackman: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what proportion of civil servants on temporary contracts in the Cabinet Office are women.

Jeremy Quin: This data is available in the Public sector employment Dataset published quarterly by the Office for National Statistics. For the most recent data, June 2023, the details requested are found in Table 8. https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/publicsectorpersonnel/datasets/publicsectoremploymentreferencetable

Public Sector: Access

Dr Luke Evans: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what discussions he (a) has had and (b) plans to have with Cabinet colleagues on (i) accessible and (ii) affordable offline access to nationally-provided public services.

Alex Burghart: In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of internal discussions are not normally disclosed.The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone has affordable access to public services, whether online or offline. Government departments are required by the Government's Service Standard to provide support via alternative channels for all their online services. Every service on GOV.UK must fulfil a requirement that is confirmed through service assessments.The Service Standard requires government teams to make sure that services are accessible to all users, including disabled people, people with other legally protected characteristics, people who do not have access to the internet and/or lack the skills and/or confidence to use the internet.Point 3 of the Service Standard requires Departments to provide a joined-up service that meets users’ needs across all channels, including online, phone, paper and face to face. Point 5 of the Service Standard requires Departments to make sure everyone can use the service.

Infected Blood Inquiry

Wayne David: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what progress the Government has made on implementing the recommendations of the Infected Blood Inquiry's report entitled Second Interim Report, published on 5 April 2023.

Jeremy Quin: I refer the Honourable Member to my previous answer to UIN 201237 on 20th October 2023.

Department for Work and Pensions

Pensioners: North West

Conor McGinn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of inflation on pensioners in (a) St Helens North constituency and (b) the North West.

Laura Trott: The Government understands the pressures pensioners are facing with the cost of living.In April, we uprated benefit rates and State Pensions by 10.1%, putting the State Pension over £10,000 per year for the first time.In addition to this, more than 8 million pensioner households will receive a Cost of Living Payment of £300 to be paid during winter 2023. Further to this, the Energy Price Guarantee will be extended from April 2023 until the end of March 2024, meaning a typical household bill will be around £3,000 per year in Great Britain.

Long Term Unemployed People

Colleen Fletcher: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the (a) factors that contribute to long-term unemployment and (b) impact of long-term unemployment on (i) families, (ii) communities and (iii) the economy; and what steps his Department is taking to (A) reduce and (B) minimise the impacts of long-term unemployment.

Guy Opperman: The UK employment support offer has several elements: a mixture of jobcentre support, national contracted provision and local contracted or grant-funded provision. The Restart scheme is nationally contracted provision for the long-term unemployed in England and Wales and sits alongside a variety of services that support jobseekers to find and progress in work. Restart supports those who have been out of work for nine months or more and may benefit from more intensive support than the core JCP offer. Restart seeks to address some of the acknowledged barriers that long-term unemployed people face which may include awareness of current job-seeking approaches, ongoing health conditions, perceptions around confidence or lack of relevant skills. The Department has previously published evidence on support for the long term unemployed. The Work Programme Impact Assessment, published in November 2020 and was used to inform the business case for Restart: The Work Programme: impact assessment - GOV.UK. As part of the Restart scheme for the long term unemployed, the department is carrying out a full evaluation to assess the impact of the programme on job outcomes, earnings, and intermediate outcomes such as improvements in confidence, well-being and job-searching skills. Evidence gathered is being fed back into service delivery and future policy development. From Restart’s launch to the end of April 2023, 450,000 people had started on the programme so far, with 150,000 of those achieving first earnings from employment, and 84,000 achieving a job outcome representing sustained employment. Additional support for 50+ long term unemployed (LTU) customers was announced in September 2022 as part of the Growth Plan. This will provide access to additional intensive support for long-term unemployed jobseekers in jobcentres across Great Britain. Finally, the Government recognises the important role that childcare plays for parents seeking or trying to stay in work which is why this year’s Spring Budget saw generous additional financial support for parents on Universal Credit. These changes include a 47% rise in the monthly maximum amounts that parents can be reimbursed for their childcare costs - now £951 a month for families with one child and £1630 for families with two or more children. Importantly, additional financial help with upfront childcare costs is now also being made available for parents moving into work or increasing their hours, removing a crucial barrier for many.

State Retirement Pensions: Northern Ireland

Claire Hanna: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he has plans to provide additional funding for advice services in Northern Ireland to assist people who have been underpaid their state pension as a result of an incorrect attribution of home responsibilities protection credits.

Laura Trott: There are no plans to provide additional funding for advice services in Northern Ireland in relation to the Home Responsibilities Protection correction exercise. In September, HMRC began issuing letters inviting people to apply for potentially missed periods of Home Responsibilities Protection. Information is available to people in Northern Ireland and across the United Kingdom through gov.uk, including a self-identification tool to help people see if they might be affected. Support is available from both HMRC and DWP staff where needed.

Jobcentres: Training

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what training Jobcentre work coaches receive on identifying potential recipients of the Universal Support programme.

Guy Opperman: DWP learning signposts work coaches to relevant websites and guidance to equip staff with information, skills, and behaviours to help and support people facing complex barriers to work.

Cost of Living Payments

Drew Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of extending the upcoming Cost of Living payment eligibility cut off dates for people (a) who are on Universal Credit and in work and (b) whose incomes have fallen as a result of ill health past the eligibility dates.

Mims Davies: The first round of Cost of Living Payments was made in 2022 to over 8 million households on Universal Credit, Pension Credit, and eligible legacy benefits. These means-tested Cost of Living Payments, totalling £650, were made in two payments of £326 from July 2022 and £324 in November 2022. Around 6 million people received £150 Disability Cost of Living Payment, and over 11 million pensioners received up to £300 on top of their Winter Fuel Payment. The second round of means-tested Cost of Living Payments, with a total amount of £900, are to be made in three payments. The first Cost of Living Payment of £301 was made between 25 April and 17 May 2023. The second Cost of Living Payment of £300 will be made between 31 October and 19 November 2023. The final Payment of £299 will be paid by Spring 2024.  To be eligible to receive a Cost of Living Payment, the individual must be entitled to payment of a qualifying means-tested benefit during the qualifying period, or a payment for an assessment period ending within the qualifying period.The qualifying means-tested benefits include:Universal Credit (UC)Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)Income SupportPension CreditWorking Tax Credit (WTC)Child Tax Credit (CTC)We have kept the eligibility rules for the Cost of Living Payments as simple as possible to deliver them promptly and accurately.The Cost of Living Payment for eligible means-tested benefit claimants will be delivered in three separate payments over 2023/2024.This reduces the chance of someone missing out altogether, as those who do not qualify for one of the payments due to their changing circumstances may qualify for another one of the payments.

Pesticides: Sales

Sir Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reason the Health and Safety Executive requires people to have specific accreditation to purchase rodenticide from vendors.

Mims Davies: The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is responsible for the regulation of biocidal products in the Great Britain, which include rodenticides. To ensure that the risks associated with professional use of anticoagulant rodenticides could be properly managed, the UK Government and stakeholders agreed that rodenticide stewardship was needed. The Campaign for Responsible Rodenticide Use UK (CRRU UK) has developed a stewardship regime in the UK. One component of CRRU’s stewardship regime is that for professional use of rodenticides, verification of competence is required at the point of sale, in order to ensure that only those who are trained in proper use and risk mitigation measures can use such products.

Department for Work and Pensions: Staff

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many staff are employed in his Department's Economic, Serious and Organised Crime team as of 13 October 2023.

Mims Davies: Staffing figures are recorded at the end of each calendar month. As at 30th September 2023, the total full-time equivalent (FTE) in our Economic, Serious and Organised Crime team (ESOC) is 720.45.

Bereavement Support Payment

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing discretionary payments for bereavement support.

Mims Davies: No assessment has been made, however, the Department already has a wide range of financial support available to those affected by bereavement.Bereavement Support Payment (BSP) is a contributory benefit intended to help working age people with the immediate costs of bereavement. BSP is payable to the surviving spouse, cohabiting partner (with dependent children), or civil partner of the deceased. Funeral Expenses Payments contribute towards the cost of a funeral arranged by someone in receipt of income-related benefits, and Budgeting Loans and Budgeting Advances are interest-free loans available to claimants of income-related benefits. Further support for day to day living expenses is available via Universal Credit.

Department for Work and Pensions: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much their Department spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-2023 financial year.

Mims Davies: DWP is committed to being an inclusive employer and is committed to creating an environment where everyone belongs and can be at their best, and our workforce is representative of the customers and communities that we serve. To support with these ambitions, we have invested a total of £205,444 in supporting our employees with specific equality and diversity related training needs within the 2022-2023 year.

Independent Case Examiner: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much the Independent Case Examiner spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Mims Davies: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.

Social Security Advisory Committee: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much the Social Security Advisory Committee spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Mims Davies: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.

Social Security Benefits: Uprating

Stephen Farry: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he plans to uprate social security benefits for 2024-25 in line with the Consumer Price Index rate published on 16 October 2023.

Guy Opperman: The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions is required by law to undertake an annual review of benefits and the State Pension. The outcome of the review will be announced in the Autumn.

Social Security Benefits: Disability

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have taken part in the severe disability group test group as of 13 October 2023; and how those people were selected.

Tom Pursglove: Following a small-scale test, we are exploring with health partners how to identify people who are eligible for the severe disability group.

Neurodiversity: Working Conditions

Matt Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Government Equalities Office is taking steps to encourage (a) private companies and (b) the public sector to adopt neuro-inclusive practices in the workplace.

Matt Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Government is taking to help reduce workplace stigma for people who are neurodivergent.

Matt Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Government is taking to help promote the contribution of neurodivergent people to businesses.

Tom Pursglove: The Government is taking positive steps to promote the contribution of neurodivergent people in businesses, reduce the stigma they may face within the workplace, and encourage the adoption of neuro-inclusive practices. We know that neurodivergent people bring many positive benefits to businesses, which should be recognised. On 2 April 2023, World Autism Acceptance Day, we announced the launch of a new review into autism and employment. The 'Buckland Review', which is being led by the Rt Hon Member for South Swindon, is focused on supporting employers to recruit and retain autistic people, identifying barriers to this, and developing ways to overcome those barriers. One area of focus in the review is understanding the working practices or initiatives that can reduce stigma for autistic employees and autistic jobseekers. Whilst the review’s primary focus is autism, many of the adjustments and initiatives that would benefit autistic people could also benefit neurodivergent people. The review will present recommendations to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions later this year. We are also supporting employers via Disability Confident to increase their understanding of how to recruit, retain, and support neurodivergent employees.  Being Disability Confident helps employers to tap into the huge pool of talent amongst disabled and neurodivergent people, and recruit, retain, and develop people with the skills businesses need. The scheme provides employers with the skills and knowledge to remove barriers that might be preventing disabled people, neurodivergent people, and those with long-term health conditions, from accessing employment and allows them opportunities to fulﬁl their potential and realise their aspirations

Office for Nuclear Regulation: Finance

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the total budget underspend for the Office for Nuclear Regulation was for the financial year 2022-23.

Laura Trott: The total underspend Office of Nuclear Regulation reported for 2022-23 was £4.0m.

Pension Credit: Applications

Abena Oppong-Asare: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether there were significant changes in the level of uptake of pension credit claims after the launch of the invitation to claim trial.

Laura Trott: The invitation to claim trial is a small-scale test and learn exercise taking place across 10 local authority areas. Evaluation of the test and learn is underway, and we plan to report on the results towards the end of the year when further data is available.

Pension Protection Fund: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much the Pension Protection Fund spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Laura Trott: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.

National Employment Savings Trust Corporation: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much the National Employment Savings Trust Corporation spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Laura Trott: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.

Office for Nuclear Regulation: Finance

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he plans to approve the budget for the Office for Nuclear Regulation for the financial year 2023-24.

Laura Trott: We confirm that the 2023/24 for the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) budget has already been approved.

Pensions Ombudsman: Complaints

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average time from the initial receipt of a complaint is for the Pensions Ombudsman to conclude an investigation that the Early Resolution Team have escalated.

Laura Trott: TPO’s Early Resolution team (ERT) investigates complaints where TPO believes the complaint may be resolved informally. Over 80% of cases that go to ERT are resolved there, but where this is not possible, the complaint is passed to TPO’s Adjudication Team. Cases may then be escalated to the Pensions Ombudsman where the complainant does not agree with the adjudicator’s decision.  Due to variation in the complexity of cases, TPO does not currently hold validated data on the average time for cases to pass through the Adjudication Team and Ombudsman.

Pension Credit: Publicity

Abena Oppong-Asare: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if his Department will publish a report on the outcome of the pension credit public awareness campaign.

Laura Trott: The outcome of the Pension Credit awareness campaign will be reported in the Department’s Annual Report and Accounts. Our extensive communications campaign has been running since April 2022 and so far, there is a strong indication that it is having a positive effect. The number of Pension Credit applications is up by around 75% in the 12 months to May compared to the same period last year.

State Retirement Pensions

Dr Rosena Allin-Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to ensure the accuracy of state pension payments.

Laura Trott: Overall error within State Pension is low – the 2022/2023 Annual Report and Accounts show 0.01% overpayment and 0.6% underpayment. A robust Quality Framework of both local and independent quality checking is in place to assure the accuracy of State Pension payments. Where error is identified proportionate action is taken through root cause analysis and focused improvement activities. Appropriate oversight and governance is provided by a Quality Governance Board. Fraud and Error risks are further mitigated through the development and design of our online ‘Get your State Pension’ digital service. In addition to robust quality checking and digital design, lessons learned from the State Pension LEAP exercise have resulted in new data matching rules to reduce the risk of further error entering the caseload and amendments to legacy IT systems reduce the likelihood of human error.

Universal Credit: Deductions

Peter Aldous: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of (a) oral and (b) written communication with Universal Credit claimants at explaining how to request a lower rate of deductions from Universal Credit.

Guy Opperman: We are regularly reviewing and improving the UC service and have recently updated our overpayment notifications to more clearly explain how to get in touch if deductions are too much.In addition, there are standing messages available in the Universal Credit journal which can be accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Alternatively, claimants can seek support from staff in their local job centre or by contacting the Universal Credit helpline.DWP Debt Management have an established process whereby trained agents are available to discuss repayment rates and, in most cases, negotiate reduced repayment rates with anyone struggling to repay.The department is also committed to HM Treasury’s 'Breathing Space' policy.

Attendance Allowance

Kate Osamor: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if his Department will take steps to ensure that attendance allowance forms can be submitted electronically.

Laura Trott: Attendance Allowance is currently in the private beta phase of development, where DWP are inviting a limited number of people to use the online claim service, so feedback can be gathered to improve the service. We will look to move from trialling to public beta in due course.

State Retirement Pensions: Women

Lloyd Russell-Moyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Department of Work and Pensions, whether he plans to accept the invitation from Garden Court Chambers to attend mediation talks with Joanne Welch from CEDAWinLAW on an alternative dispute resolution for women born in the 1950s who were affected by changes in the State Pension age.

Laura Trott: In the legal challenge on changes to State Pension age, both the High Court and Court of Appeal have found no fault in the actions of the DWP, under successive governments dating back to 1995, finding Government acted entirely lawfully and did not discriminate on any grounds. Additionally, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman has not completed his investigation into communication of changes to women’s state pension. It would be inappropriate to enter into Alternative Dispute Resolution with third parties or comment while the PHSO investigation is ongoing. Section 7(2) of the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967 states that Ombudsman investigations “shall be conducted in private”.

State Retirement Pensions: Northern Ireland

Claire Hanna: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an estimate of the number of people residing in Northern Ireland who are likely to have been underpaid their state pension as a result of their national insurance record not including the correct entitlement of home responsibilities protection from 1978 to 2000.

Laura Trott: It is not possible to estimate the numbers of people in any particular geographical location who are potentially affected; data has not been recorded in a way that would allow this.

State Retirement Pensions

Beth Winter: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make it his policy to increase the (a) basic and (b) new state pension by at least the September 2023 rate of increase in average earnings.

Laura Trott: The outcome of the Secretary of State’s review of benefits rates, including the State Pension, for 2023 will be announced in the coming weeks. Following his review, the new rates will come into force from April 2024. We cannot pre-empt this review.

Office for Nuclear Regulation: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much the Office for Nuclear Regulation spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Laura Trott: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.

Jobcentres: Training

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what training work coaches receive on supporting jobseekers with complex disabilities.

Tom Pursglove: All new DWP Work Coaches undergo comprehensive learning to support customers with additional or complex needs, particularly disabilities, and they continue to build on this in the workplace through accessing point of need learning products. Work coaches are also signposted to tools, guidance, support and websites to effectively use resources from both internal and external sites. This ensures that they access the most up to date advice and expertise on a particular health condition.

Access to Work Programme: Staff

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people were employed by his Department to determine the outcome of Access to Work assessments as of 1 October 2023.

Tom Pursglove: As of the 1st October 2023, there were 281 case managers employed to make decisions on AtW applications.

Pension Protection Fund Ombudsman: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much the Pension Protection Fund Ombudsman spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much the Pensions Ombudsman spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Laura Trott: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.

Remploy Pension Scheme Trustees: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much the Remploy Pension Scheme Trustees Ltd spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Laura Trott: This information is not available because the Remploy Pensions Scheme Trustees Ltd do not have any staff of their own; trustees are not employees. The Remploy Pension and Insurance Scheme is administered by a private company.

Employment Schemes: Publicity

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department has taken to advertise its employment schemes to employers.

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department plans to take to increase employers' engagement with its employment schemes.

Guy Opperman: The Department regularly engages with individual employers and representative bodies and promotes its schemes. A summary of the help available is on gov.uk: Jobcentre Plus help for recruiters: Overview - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) and Employing people - Help to Grow. Jobcentre Plus also engages directly with individual employers at national and local level to explain what services are available. Where schemes are delivered by third parties, they will have their own arrangements in place for promoting the help available to employers.

Cystic Fibrosis: Employment

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Employment and Support Allowance claimants with cystic fibrosis as their main disabling condition have been (a) placed in the support group, (b) placed in the work-related activity group and (c) found fit for work at Work Capability Assessments in each year since 2013.

Tom Pursglove: The following table shows the volume of Work Capability Assessments (WCAs) for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) claimants with Cystic Fibrosis as their main disabling condition, by outcome and year. Volumes cover all WCA outcomes including initial assessments (the first assessment of the ESA claim), repeat assessments (subsequent assessments after prognosis period of previous assessment of the ESA claim expires), and initial assessments for those moving over from Incapacity Benefit (IB). IB was replaced by ESA and claimants are re-assessed for ESA under the WCA. Due to Covid, WCA repeat assessments were paused in March 2020, department-led reassessments began again in June 2023. ESA WCAs with Cystic Fibrosis as the main condition   Support GroupWork Related Activity GroupFit for WorkTotal201351050105702014380101040020152801010300201631010203402017310202034020182801010300201926010102702020100....100202120....20202210....10 Notes:".." denotes a nil or negligible number of claimants.Figures may not sum to total due to rounding.

Pensions Regulator: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much the Pensions Regulator spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Laura Trott: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.

Disability Living Allowance and Personal Independence Payment: Internet

Liz Twist: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 19 September 2023 to Question 199184 on Disability Living Allowance and Personal Independence Payment: Internet, which postcodes are eligible for the online application service for PIP launched on 27 July; and what criterion was used to select these postcodes.

Tom Pursglove: One key element of the Health Transformation Programme is a new online application service for Personal Independence Payment (PIP). As explained in my answer to Question 199184, this is currently being tested in selected postcode districts across England. It is vital that we develop an online claim service that works for all claimants across the country. The initial range of postcodes were carefully selected to ensure they are representative of the wider population and allow us to robustly evaluate the impact of the service. Limiting the number of claimants during the testing phase means we can test the functionality and stability of the new service, learning and making improvements before we gradually and carefully increase the number of people who can use it. As we scale the service, this list of postcode districts will gradually increase until the service is available nationally across England, Wales and Northern Ireland by 2024. A list of postcodes can be found below*. People can check if they are able to apply for PIP online through our ‘How to Claim’ GOV.UK page and using the postcode checker which will be constantly updated. B16B18B21B42B66B67B68B69B70B71BD11BD12BD4BH1BH10BH11BH12BH13BH14BH15BH16BH17BH18BH2BH22BH3BH4BH5BH6BH7BH8BH9BN20BN22BN23CB11CM24CW12DE21DE7DE72DE75DY11DY13E11E12E18E7GL1GL10GL5HD1HD4HP23HR7HR8IG1IG2IG3IG4IG5IG6IG7IG8IG9IP10IP11IP12IP13IP15IP16IP17IP18IP19IP20IP3IP4IP5IP6KT10KT12KT6KT7KT8KT9L10L21L22L23L29L30L38L9LE13LN10LN11LN12LN13LN9LU1LU2LU3LU4LU7M15M16M23M31M32M33M41NE1NE2NE4NE5NE98NG10NG15NG17NR31NR32NR33NR34NR35PE21PE23PE24PE25PE34RG14RG20RG21RG22RG23RG24RH7RH8RM10SG7SK11SO24ST13TN8TW16TW17WA14WA15WF13WF15WF16WF17WR13WR14WR2WR5WR6WS6YO11YO12YO13YO14YO22YO25CM17  * This list will change as we continually scale the new online PIP service.__________________________________________________________________________

Money and Pensions Service: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much the Money and Pensions Service spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Laura Trott: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.

Jobcentres: Staff

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average number of benefit claimants per work coach was December 2019.

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average number of benefit claimants per work coach is as of September 2023.

Guy Opperman: The average number of benefit claimants per Work Coach varies across our locations. In December 2019, the average number of claimants per Work Coach was 112 claimants. Whereas, in September 2023, the average number of claimants per Work Coach was 119 claimants.

Employment: Chronic Illnesses and Disability

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate his Department has made of the number of jobseekers with complex disabilities who have received one to one support from a Work Coach in each of the last three years.

Tom Pursglove: We do not have the data for this; however, when a Work Coach engages with a claimant with complex disabilities and considers it appropriate, there will automatically be either a referral or case conference with a Disability Employment Advisor to understand their health and disability and employment barriers. This will support the Work Coach to provide more personalised support, tailored to each claimant’s individual needs.

Employment Schemes: Publicity

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department plans to take to advertise the JCP and DWP Work trial programme to employers.

Guy Opperman: The Department for Work and Pensions engages with individual employers and representative bodies regularly in the development and promotion of its schemes. A summary of the help available for recruiters is published on Jobcentre Plus help for recruiters: Overview - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk), which includes information about the Work Trials Scheme. Jobcentre Plus also engages directly with individual employers at national and local level to explain what services are available. The Department has also developed a range of leaflets, guides and videos to share with employers including the Jobcentre Plus support for employers quick guides, which include information on the Work Trials Scheme.

Personal Independence Payment: Medical Examinations

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make it his Department's policy to conduct all Personal Independence Payment assessments in person.

Tom Pursglove: There are no plans to conduct all Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessments in person. PIP assessments are undertaken by telephone, video and face to face, all following the same structure. Since telephone and video assessments were introduced, there has been no evidence to suggest these delivery channels are less effective than face to face.

Access to Work Programme

Matt Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department is taking steps to reduce the time taken for employees to receive their reasonable adjustments after applying for an access to work grant.

Tom Pursglove: As Access to Work do not engage with the employer once funding is in place, we do not measure this process.

Employment: Chronic Illnesses and Disability

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate his Department has made of the number of people with complex disabilities who have been referred to a Disability Employment Advisor in each of the last three years for which data is available.

Tom Pursglove: We do not have the data for this, however when a Work Coach engages with a claimant with complex disabilities and considers it appropriate, there will automatically be either a referral or case conference with a Disability Employment Advisor to understand their health and disability and employment barriers. This will support the Work Coach to provide more personalised support, tailored to each claimant’s individual needs.

Universal Credit: Deductions

Peter Aldous: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of extending the repayment period for Advance Payments to 36 months as a means of reducing the monthly rate of deductions from Universal Credit.

Guy Opperman: No assessment has been made.

Employment Schemes: Chronic Illnesses and Disability

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have received support through the universal support programme as of 13 October 2023.

Tom Pursglove: Universal Support is in the early stages of development. We have a commitment to transparency and are considering the information that will be published on Universal Support services.

Access to Work Programme

Matt Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average processing time for employees to receive their reasonable adjustments after applying for an access to work grant has been over the last 12 months.

Tom Pursglove: Once a decision has been made and funding has been confirmed, Access to Work do not engage with the employer or customer as we cannot influence the implementation of reasonable adjustments.

UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Claire Hanna: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department plans to provide evidence to the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Tom Pursglove: As agreed with the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, UK Government representatives will present further information on the UK’s progress at the Committee’s session in March 2024, entirely properly. This is in relation to the Committee’s review of the UK follow-up reports to the 2016 inquiry under the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

British Sign Language Advisory Board

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when the British Sign Language (BSL) Advisory Board last met; if he will publish the minutes of that meeting; and when the next meeting of the BSL Advisory Board is due to take place.

Tom Pursglove: The BSL Advisory Board last met on 17th July 2023. The summary minutes of that meeting will be published on GOV.UK in due course. The BSL Advisory Board will next meet on 8th November 2023.

Sector-based Work Academy Programme: Publicity

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department plans to take to advertise Sector-based Work Academy Programmes to employers.

Guy Opperman: Sector-based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs) are set up in response to local job vacancies and labour-market demand. As such, SWAPs are generally marketed to employers through the Jobcentre Plus network. DWP’s National Employer and Partnership Team also regularly runs employer campaigns focused on different sectors to publicise SWAPs and the other support available to companies looking to recruit. DWP also works directly with sector stakeholders to develop SWAP opportunities, such as the pilot launched in September, developed alongside UK Hospitality, to help potential employees gain a Hospitality Skills Passport. More widely, there is a guide to SWAPs on GOV.UK for employers, at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sector-based-work-academies-employer-guide.

Cystic Fibrosis: Employment

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Universal Credit claimants with cystic fibrosis as their main disabling condition have been (a) placed in the limited capability for work-related activity group, (b) placed in the limited capability for work group and (c) found fit for work at Work Capability Assessments in each year since 2013.

Tom Pursglove: Official Statistics for Universal Credit Work Capability Assessments (UC WCA) cover key metrics on the number of people on the UC health journey, as well as WCA decisions and outcomes, from April 2019. As set out in the published release strategy we are taking a phased approach to development and publication of additional statistics, accounting for the complexity of source data that is in discovery. Future releases are planned to include new/repeat claims, medical conditions, Mandatory Reconsiderations and Appeals, and clearance times.

Disability

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Disability Unit took steps with organisations representing disabled people to develop the Ask, Don't Assume campaign.

Tom Pursglove: The Disability Unit worked closely with disabled people and organisations representing them when developing the 'Ask Don't Assume' campaign. This ensured that their insights and lived experiences were incorporated into the development and design of our public campaign to change perceptions and challenge unhelpful stereotypes and behaviours towards disabled people. As part of the development of the campaign, the Disability Unit set up a Campaign Reference Group, made up of twelve organisations representing disabled people’s organisations and disability charities. We engaged with this group through regular workshops and in-depth discussions to help shape the campaign, and they were consulted on several aspects, including the 'Ask Don't Assume' hashtag, ahead of the launch. A number of disabled people also worked directly on this campaign, both internally across the Equality Hub, and externally through creative agencies. Four disabled influencers were also involved in this campaign, and the campaign’s images were created by a disabled photographer who has Type 2 Usher Syndrome (deaf and blind). Their insights and lived experiences helped inform the development of the campaign.

Access to Work Programme

Matt Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people applied for an access to work grant in the last year; and what proportion of those applications are from people at the start of their employment.

Tom Pursglove: The information requested about Access to Work applications is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost. However, Access to Work statistics include how many applications result in provision being approved from 2007/08 to 2022/23. Please see Table 3 of the Access to Work statistics. The latest Access to Work statistics can be found here:Access to Work statistics - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

Employment Schemes: Chronic Illnesses and Disability

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have moved into employment as a result of assistance provided through the universal support programme as of 13 October 2023.

Tom Pursglove: Universal Support is in the early stages of development. We have a commitment to transparency and are considering the information that will be published on Universal Support services.

Industrial Injuries Advisory Council: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Tom Pursglove: This information is not available because the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council (IIAC) does not have an executive or operational function.

Access to Work Programme: Staff

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what information his Department holds on the number of assessors employed by contractors to carry out Access to Work assessments in the latest period for which data is available.

Tom Pursglove: Access to Work Holistic Assessments are contracted to two suppliers who both cover England, Scotland and Wales. As of Monday 16th October, there were 56.9 FTE (full-time equivalent) assessors on the contract, across both suppliers and their supply chains.

Disabled People's Employment Corporation: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much the Disabled People’s Employment Corporation (GB) Ltd spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Tom Pursglove: The Disabled People’s Employment Corporation (GB) Ltd (DPEC) is in Members Voluntary Liquidation. DPEC does not have any staff nor executive or operational function.

Employment Schemes: Chronic Illnesses and Disability

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the initial Universal Support programme assessment comprises.

Tom Pursglove: The first phase of delivery of Universal Support are the Pioneer services. These are being delivered through two routes:- Up to 25,000 new places available across England and Wales on Work and Health Programme (WHP) Pioneer. This support offers a ‘place and train’ approach on a voluntary basis for economically inactive disabled people and those from disadvantaged groups. It is delivered through extensions to the Work and Health programme contracts. WHP Pioneer looks to support these groups into work at the earliest opportunity after an initial work assessment and provide wraparound in work support from a personal advisor.- Expansion of Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care (IPSPC) into 42 upper tier local authority areas in England. IPSPC is a voluntary evidence-based Supported Employment programme (place, train and maintain) with referrals from primary health care professionals and community health care. IPSPC is integrated with an individual’s normal health treatment, encouraging recognition of employment as an important driver of an individual’s health and wellbeing. IPSPC provides tailored support to help disabled people out of work and those needing support with their health issues to find and keep sustainable work.When a participant is referred to these services their initial engagement will be person centred, with the aim of securing a good match with a suitable job and not just any job.

Pensions: Consumer Information

Nick Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether State Pension data will be included in the Pensions Dashboard Programme.

Laura Trott: Pensions dashboards will allow individuals to view information about their pensions, including the State Pension, for free in one place online. Dashboards will show individuals the estimated State Pension amount they would get based on their current National Insurance contribution record, their forecasted State Pension amount that assumes they pay National Insurance contributions going forward, the date they will reach State Pension age, and supporting messages regarding the data displayed.

Smoking

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Prime Minister's announcement on a smokefree generation on 4 October 2023 on his Department's policies; and what representations he has received from employers in the tobacco industry on that announcement.

Guy Opperman: No assessment has been made. DWP has not received representations from employers in the tobacco industry on this announcement.

Jobcentres: Disability

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many jobcentres have specialist assistive technology installed on their customer computer kiosks.

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment his Department has made of the suitability of hardware and software installed in jobcentres to assist jobseeker with complex disabilities.

Guy Opperman: I would refer to the answers previously given at PQ 196829, 186156 and 185499. As part of its commitment to make services accessible to all customers, the Department provides computers for customer use in Jobcentres which have assistive technology built into them such as screen readers and screen magnification and are managed separately from the wider DWP IT estate. The Department also provides a range of peripheral items in each Jobcentre such as alternative keyboards. Computers for customer use with specialist assistive technology are currently available in 574 Jobcentres. Customers can also access a wide range of services which can support their needs such as braille and large print documents being made available upon request. The DWP have also improved access to our Wi-Fi services in all Jobcentres, allowing customers to use their own personal devices if they prefer.

Social Security Benefits: Children

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average number of children is in couple households where one parent is a benefit claimant and searching for work and one parent has no work requirements.

Guy Opperman: The requested information is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

Social Security Benefits: Children

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average number of children is in couple households where both parents are benefit claimants and searching for work.

Guy Opperman: The requested information is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

Social Security Benefits: Lone Parents

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average number of children is in single-parent households where that parent is a benefit claimant and searching for work.

Guy Opperman: The requested information is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

Universal Credit: Disability

Deidre Brock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that people receiving the Disability Element of Working Tax Credits are not disadvantaged in the transition to Universal Credit.

Guy Opperman: All individuals issued with a migration notice informing them that they must make a claim to Universal Credit will be assessed for transitional protection at the point of making a claim to Universal Credit. Transitional protection, by way of a transitional element, will be then awarded to eligible claimants to ensure their entitlement to Universal Credit is not lower than the entitlement they received as part of their legacy benefits.

Ministry of Defence

Ministry of Defence: Buildings

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of levels of asbestos on the defence estate.

James Cartlidge: There is an ongoing asbestos management strategy in place, and this is progressing well. Consequently, in year 588 new Asbestos Management Surveys have been completed and a further 1,147 are contractually committed. The MOD continues to improve its understanding and management of asbestos to meet statutory requirements.

Minesweepers: Procurement

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the projected whole life costs of the Mine Hunting Capability Programme (a) were originally and (b) are as of 13 October 2023.

James Cartlidge: An answer cannot be provided as the Whole Life Costs of Mine Hunting Capability Programme are commercially sensitive and therefore it would not be appropriate to provide this detail.

Military Aircraft: Helicopters

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the projected whole life costs of New Medium Helicopter (a) were originally and (b) are as of 13 October 2023.

James Cartlidge: Portfolio data is published annually in support of the Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) Annual Report which includes a budget baseline and the latest HM Treasury approved estimates in respect of whole life costs. The reports are published here:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/major-projects-data

ISTAR

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the projected whole life costs of the Land Intelligence, Surveillance, Target, Acquisition and Reconnaissance programme (a) were originally and (b) are as of 13 October 2023.

James Cartlidge: Portfolio data is published annually in support of the Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) Annual Report which includes a budget baseline and the latest HM Treasury approved estimates in respect of whole life costs. The reports are published here:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/major-projects-data

Ministry of Defence: ICT

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the whole life projected costs of New Style of I information Technology (Base) (a) were originally and (b) are as of 13 October 2023.

James Cartlidge: The New Style of IT (Base) programme provides the essential ICT infrastructure used by the MOD at OFFICIAL and SECRET. The capability has been successfully delivered and the programme is in the process of being formally closed.Portfolio data is published annually in support of the Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) Annual Report which includes a budget baseline and the latest HM Treasury approved estimates in respect of whole life costs. The reports are published here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/major-projects-dataThe financial data for New Style of IT (Base) in the IPA report is withheld under Section 43 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (Commercial Interests).

Ministry of Defence: ICT

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the projected whole life costs of MODnet Evolve (a) were originally and (b) are as of 13 October 2023.

James Cartlidge: Portfolio data is published annually in support of the Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) Annual Report which includes a budget baseline and the latest HM Treasury approved estimates in respect of whole life costs. The reports are published here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/major-projects-data The financial data for MODnet Evolve in the IPA report is withheld under Section 43 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (Commercial Interests).

Armed Forces: Telecommunications

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the projected whole life cost of the Next Generation (fixed) Communication Network programme (a) was originally and (b) is as of 13 October 2023.

James Cartlidge: Portfolio data is published annually in support of the Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) Annual Report which includes a budget baseline and the latest HM Treasury approved estimates in respect of whole life costs. The reports are published here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/major-projects-dataThe financial data for Next Generation (fixed) Communications Network in the IPA report is withheld under Section 43 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (Commercial Interests).

Skynet: Procurement

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the projected whole life cost of the Skynet 6 programme (a) was originally and (b) is as of 13 October 2023.

James Cartlidge: With regards to the original projected whole life cost of the SKYNET 6 programme, I refer the right hon. Member to the answer given to him by my predecessor (Alec Shelbrooke) on 22 September 2022to Question 49567. Portfolio data is published annually in support of the Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) Annual Report which includes a budget baseline and the latest HM Treasury approved estimates in respect of whole life costs. The reports are published here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/major-projects-data. The financial data for Skynet in the IPA report is withheld under Section 43 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (Commercial Interests).Skynet Procurement (docx, 15.3KB)

Afghanistan: Refugees

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many ARAP applicants who applied (a) before and (b) during Operation Pitting are awaiting a decision on their application from his Department.

James Heappey: As of 19 October 2023, 178 ARAP applications submitted before Operation PITTING are awaiting an eligibility decision. 267 ARAP applications submitted during Op-PITTING are awaiting a decision. We only have approximately 1,000 complex cases awaiting an eligibility decision from over 95,000 principal applications received. We are working hard to resolve these remaining cases, often working alongside other Government Departments.

Unmanned Air Vehicles: Procurement

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the projected whole life cost of the Protector programme (a) was originally and (b) is as of 13 October 2023.

James Cartlidge: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer given to him on Monday 23 October 2023 to question 200748.F-35 Aircraft: Procurement (docx, 14.8KB)

Navy: Non-binary People

Royston Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of Royal Navy personnel identify as non-binary.

Royston Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of Royal Navy personnel identify as transgender.

Royston Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of Royal Air Force personnel identify as non-binary.

Royston Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of Royal Air Force personnel identify as transgender.

Royston Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of Army personnel identify as non-binary.

Royston Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of Army personnel identify as transgender.

Dr Andrew Murrison: The requested information is not held by the Ministry of Defence. The Joint Personnel Administration System (JPA) records a Service Person’s sex and sexual orientation; there is no option to record gender identity. For those who transition their gender (gender reassignment), the record for sex in JPA will be changed accordingly. That a person has transitioned their gender is not recorded.

Armed Forces: HIV Infection

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Answer of 13 July 2023 to Question HL8900 on Armed Forces: HIV Infection, how many (a) aircrew and (b) controllers who were (i) living with HIV and (ii) taking HIV PrEP were assessed as being medically unfit to carry out their roles in full in each year since 2020.

Dr Andrew Murrison: I am withholding the information requested.The decision to withhold is based on the small number of individuals operating within a small profession which increases the risk of identification and may therefore breach our obligations under the Data Protection Act.

Ministry of Defence: ICT

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the projected whole life cost of the New Style of IT (Deployed) programme (a) was originally and (b) is as of 13 October 2023.

James Cartlidge: Portfolio data is published annually in support of the Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) Annual Report which includes a budget baseline and the latest HM Treasury approved estimates in respect of whole life costs. The reports are published here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/major-projects-data

Afghanistan: Refugees

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Afghans were extracted from Islamabad to (a) the UK and (b) a third country under the Afghans Relocations and Assistance Policy in (i) September and (ii) October 2023.

James Heappey: In September 2023, HMG relocated three Afghans from Islamabad to the UK under the ARAP scheme. So far in October 2023, 200 ARAP-eligible Afghans have been relocated by HMG from Islamabad to the UK. No ARAP-eligible Afghans were relocated from Islamabad to another third country in the timeframe requested.

Ministry of Defence: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much their Department spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-2023 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much the Advisory Committee on Conscientious Objectors spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much the Advisory Group on Military and Emergency Response Medicine spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much the Armed Forces' Pay Review Body spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much the Atomic Weapons Establishment spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much the Central Advisory Committee on Compensation spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much the Defence Equipment and Support spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much the Defence Nuclear Safety Committee spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much the Independent Medical Expert Group spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much the National Army Museum spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much the National Museum of the Royal Navy spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much the Nuclear Research Advisory Council spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much the Reserve Forces' and Cadets' Associations (RFCA) spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much the Royal Air Force Museum spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much the Scientific Advisory Committee on the Medical Implications of Less-Lethal Weapons spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much the Service Complaints Ombudsman spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much the Service Prosecuting Authority spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much the Sheffield Forgemasters International Ltd spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much the Single Source Regulations Office spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much the Submarine Delivery Agency spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much the The Oil and Pipelines Agency spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much the UK Hydrographic Office spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much the Veterans Advisory and Pensions Committees spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Dr Andrew Murrison: On 2 October 2023, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient Government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.

Combined Cadet Force

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the budget is for the Combined Cadet Force in 2023.

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the budget was for the Combined Cadet Force in 2010.

Dr Andrew Murrison: The Ministry of Defence does not have a centrally held cadet budget. Funding is channelled to the single Service Top Level Budgets (TLBs) through the Annual Budget Cycle. Total cadet costs are not captured in separate cadet budgets and each Service has a different approach to funding and supporting their cadets. A Combined Cadet Force (CCF) unit (or Contingent) can be made up of any combination of Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Army, and Royal Air Force Sections. Each single Service provides funding support to their branch of CCF.

Refugees: Afghanistan

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he is taking steps to expedite the processing of cases of Afghan people who had senior roles in UK-Afghanistan security cooperation under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy.

James Heappey: Not all of the cohort the hon. Member describes will be eligible for ARAP. As such, it is impossible to offer a blanket response to his question.

Strategic Defence and Security Review

Mr Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the Government plans to undertake its next defence and security review.

James Heappey: In response to Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine and an increasingly contested world, Defence supported the Government's Integrated Review Refresh (IR23) and subsequently published the Defence Command Paper (DCP23). It articulated the changes we need to see in order to counter the threats we face, to confront the challenges, and seize the opportunities that emerge. Our efforts are focused on turning these words into action immediately. Across the Defence enterprise - from People to Nuclear - we are implementing the commitments made in Defence Command Paper 2023.

Army

Mr Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the planned personnel strength of the British Army in the next five years is.

Dr Andrew Murrison: As confirmed in the refresh of the Defence Command Paper, the Army is adjusting to its planned strength of 73,000 until 2025. This will then remain the Army’s indicative planned strength for the next five years.

Armed Forces: HIV Infection

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 13 July 2023 to Question HL8900, on Armed Forces: HIV Infection, if he will publish the medical policy on medical conditions that preclude individuals from serving in Aircrew and Controller roles.

Dr Andrew Murrison: I am withholding the information requested as its disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.

Navy: Landing Ship Dock Auxiliaries

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Albion-class Royal Navy ships were available for deployment as of 13 October 2023.

James Heappey: HMS Bulwark is currently undertaking scheduled maintenance, before transitioning into regeneration to replace her sistership HMS Albion which will enter extended readiness later this year.Until the operational return of the Albion class Landing Platform Dock (LPD) ships, the Royal Navy will continue to operate a credible LPD capability through its Bay class Landing Ship Dock (Auxiliary) (LSD(A)).The LPD and LSD(A) platforms have interchangeable functionality; each complements the other and together they constitute our core amphibious delivery capability. To enable the sustained forward presence of the Littoral Response Groups (LRG) in the coming years, both classes of ship will be pulsed into the deployment of the LRGs around their respective refit cycles.

Submarines: Decommissioning

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the projected whole life cost of the Submarine Dismantling Project (a) was originally and (b) is as of 13 October 2023.

James Cartlidge: Portfolio data is published annually in support of the Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) Annual Report which includes a budget baseline and the latest HM Treasury approved estimates in respect of whole life costs. The reports are published here:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/major-projects-data.

Poland: Armed Forces

Mark Logan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has had discussions with his (a) Lithuanian and (b) Polish counterparts on the potential merits of increasing the number of UK troops on rotational deployment to the Suwalki gap.

James Heappey: The Defence Secretary has not had any discussion with his Lithuanian or Polish counterparts as there are no UK troops on rotational deployment to the Suwalki gap.

Armed Forces: Cooperation

Mark Logan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to page 11 of the Defence Command Paper 2023, published in July 2023, what recent progress his Department has made on supporting integrated working practices between different branches of the UK Armed Forces.

James Heappey: Integration was a key theme of the Integrated Review 21 and the IR Refresh 23. In the Defence Command Paper 23 we confirmed the priority placed on Integration across Defence and the Armed Forces, and announced the establishment of the Integration Design Authority (IDA). The logic of integration is to make more of finite resources within a more competitive world in which speed of adaptation can provide decisive advantage. The pursuit of integration is led by Strategic Command and is being embedded as a whole Defence activity, working alongside the single Services. We constantly check our approach through analysing lessons learnt from conflicts, such as that in Ukraine.

Ukraine: Military Aid

Mark Logan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Government plans to increase its provision of long-range precision strike weapons, (b) artillery, (c) air defence equipment, (d) armoured vehicles and (e) other forms of military support to Ukraine.

James Heappey: The UK is committed to working with our allies and partners to meet Ukraine's defensive requirements, now and in the future. Priority areas for support in the coming months include air defence to protect Ukraine's critical national infrastructure during the winter, further artillery ammunition, and support to help Ukraine sustain the capabilities already provided, including to recover and repair equipment used in its counter-offensive. Since 2015, over 50,000 Ukrainian personnel have been trained by the UK.

Kosovo: Security

Mark Logan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the security situation in northern Kosovo in the context of the recent violence near the village of Banjska.

James Heappey: The UK strongly condemns the violent attack on Kosovo Police in northern Kosovo on 24 September. The attack involved a large group of organised and well-resourced gunmen. The situation is calm but fragile. The facts of the incident are being established by the Kosovan authorities. At NATO’s request the UK deployed our Strategic Reserve Force to increase KFOR’s ability to support a safe and secure environment. Our forces in country continue to monitor the situation carefully. Both Serbia and Kosovo must refrain from actions that add to current tensions. Dialogue is key for finding long term mutually acceptable solutions and protecting the gains of the last decade.

Afghanistan: Refugees

Lloyd Russell-Moyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 7 June 2023 to Question 187102, how many and what proportion of applications for relocation under the ARAP scheme by family members were not granted in each of the last 12 months.

James Heappey: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to Question 200449.Afghanistan -  Refugees (docx, 25.5KB)

Afghanistan: Interpreters

Sir Geoffrey Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to (a) assist and (b) ensure the safety of interpreters who were previously employed by UK armed forces in Afghanistan who have escaped to a third country and whose (i) application under the ARAP scheme and (ii) appeal against an unsuccessful initial application is delayed; and what steps he is taking to expedite such (A) applications and (B) appeals.

James Heappey: We have worked hard to resolve tens of thousands of applications, giving individuals - eligible or not - the clarity they deserve. We now only have approximately 1,000 ARAP applications remaining of over 95,000 principal applications received. This number reflects a small number of complex cases we are working hard to resolve with other Government Departments. We are also working to assess 2,155 outstanding review cases for principal ARAP applications. While moving ARAP eligible persons to the safety of third countries is a priority for the Ministry of Defence, only ARAP eligible individuals are entitled to HMG accommodation and support in third countries while they await relocation to the UK. Those who have been deemed ineligible, or are yet to have their ARAP eligibility confirmed, would not be eligible for the same HMG support. This includes those who have submitted a review of an 'ineligible' decision. This is why we do not advise Afghans to travel to a third country until ARAP eligibility is confirmed. We will, in exceptional circumstances only and on a case-by-case basis, expedite decisions on ARAP applications and reviews in line with our formal expedition guidance.

Prisoners of War: Military Decorations

Ian Blackford: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will introduce a medal for armed forces personnel who were prisoners of war.

Dr Andrew Murrison: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has no plans to recommend the introduction of a prisoner of war medal. Armed Forces personnel who were prisoners of war would have been awarded the relevant Campaign Star, or Medal, for the theatre in which they served, and an individual who performed a particular act of distinction could have been considered for a gallantry award. Any consideration of a separate medal for prisoners of war would be a matter for the independent Advisory Military Sub-Committee, a sub-committee of the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medal, rather than the MOD.

Guided Weapons: Procurement

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the projected whole life cost of the Spearfish upgrade programme (a) was originally and (b) is as of 13 October 2023.

James Cartlidge: I am unable to release whole life programme costs for the upgrade to Spearfish Torpedoes due to ongoing commercial sensitives.

Guided Weapons: Procurement

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the projected whole life cost of the Spearcap 3 programme (a) was originally and (b) is as of 13 October 2023.

James Cartlidge: Portfolio data is published annually in support of the Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) Annual Report which includes a budget baseline and the latest HM Treasury approved estimates in respect of whole life costs. The reports are published here:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/major-projects-data

Afghanistan: Refugees

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 7 September 2023 to Question 197431, whether the Government plans to stop advertising Category 3 under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy scheme.

James Heappey: Should the UK's diplomatic mission return to Afghanistan in the future, then we may be in a position to offer in-country support under Category 3 of the ARAP scheme. It is because of this that the category currently remains open.

Defence: Innovation

Mark Logan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps is Department is taking to support (a) industry and (b) academia to engage in the Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic; and if he will make a statement.

James Heappey: The UK is a strong supporter of the Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA). The European Regional Office is hosted at the Imperial College Innovation Hub at White City (twinned with a hub in Tallinn, Estonia). The pilot DIANA ‘Challenge Programmes’ were actively promoted to the UK industry and academic communities via UK Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) networks, and over 200 UK-based entities applied. The successful participants are expected to be announced later in October, and the Department will continue to support UK industry and academia to engage with the DIANA pilot programmes, when they begin in early 2024.

Ministry of Defence: Statistics

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what (a) statistics and (b) information releases his Department is required to publish before the end of this year; and when he plans to publish each of them.

Dr Andrew Murrison: Information on upcoming statistical releases is available via the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-defence/about/statistics#calendar-of-upcoming-statistical-releases Other releases are done on a case-by-case basis.

Oman: Military Bases

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the safety of accommodation for UK armed forces in Duqm in Oman.

James Heappey: UK personnel are usually accommodated in Renaissance Village at Duqm - a facility operated and maintained by an Omani company - under a leasing arrangement. The accommodation is maintained and assured to UK standards. Recent assurance visits from the British Army focused on general health and safety (March 2023) and Force Protection (August 2023). We are aware of Service personnel being approached in Oman. The safety of our Armed Forces is of upmost importance and the security of our personnel is constantly kept under review.

Ministry of Defence: Women

Martin Docherty-Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of civil servants that are (a) at the grade of senior civil servant 2 and (b) on full-time equivalent contracts in his Department are women.

Martin Docherty-Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of civil servants on temporary contracts in his Department are women.

Dr Andrew Murrison: I can confirm as of 30 September 2023, 34 percent of Senior Civil Servants on pay band two are women and 35 percent of full-time staff at any grade are women. Two percent of the total MOD civil service workforce are on non-permanent contracts, of which one percent are women.

Armed Forces: HIV Infection

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Answer of 13 July 2023 to Question HL8900 on Armed Forces: HIV Infection, what guidance his Department has issued on the safety of medical fitness decisions for serving (a) aircrew and (b) controllers who are (i) living with HIV and (ii) taking HIV PrEP.

Dr Andrew Murrison: The Royal Air Force is the tri-Service lead for aircrew medical policy, which is outlined in Air Publication 1269A - The RAF Manual of Medical Fitness. This policy is routinely reviewed and updated twice yearly, with the next update due in November 2023. The policy is underpinned by internationally accepted aviation safety standards and is based on the risk factors that may impact on the safe delivery of critical aviation output.

Armed Forces: HIV Infection

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Answer of 13 July 2023 to Question HL8900 on Armed Forces: HIV Infection, what the medical assessment process is for serving (a) aircrew and (b) controllers who are (i) living with HIV and (ii) taking HIV PrEP.

Dr Andrew Murrison: In line with other medical conditions, and in accordance with the policy, serving aircrew and controllers who are diagnosed as HIV positive while in service are temporarily withdrawn from flying or controlling duties for initial medical assessment and treatment options. Following this, a formal medical board undertakes a case-by-case basis assessment to determine a permanent medical employment standard in line with the condition, prognosis, function, and associated risk.For aircrew and controllers taking HIV PrEP, a minimum period of medical downgrading is required to assess any potential aviation safety impacting side effects of medication before individuals can be considered fit to return to full flying duties by a Military Aviation Medical Examiner.

Ministry of Defence: Health and Safety

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when a land Industrial Health Assessment was last produced.

James Cartlidge: An internal Ministry of Defence report was published in June 2023 which included an assessment of the health of the Land Industrial base. In addition, the Land Enterprise Working Group undertakes a routine collaborative assessment of the Land Industrial sector’s health; the most recent internal report was produced in September 2023.

Type 31 Frigates: Procurement

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the projected whole life cost of the Type 31e programme (a) was originally and (b) is as of 13 October 2023.

James Cartlidge: An answer cannot be provided as the Whole Life Costs of the Type 31 programme are currently commercially sensitive and therefore it would not be appropriate to provide this detail.

Meteor Missiles: Procurement

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the projected whole life costs of Meteor (a) were originally and (b) are as of 13 October 2023.

James Cartlidge: Portfolio data is published annually in support of the Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) Annual Report which includes a budget baseline and the latest HM Treasury approved estimates in respect of whole life costs. The reports are published here:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/major-projects-data

Type 26 Frigates: Procurement

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the projected whole life cost of the Type 26 Global Combat Ship programme (a) was originally and (b) is as of 13 October 2023.

James Cartlidge: An answer cannot be provided as the Whole Life Costs of the Type 26 Global Combat Ship programme are currently commercially sensitive and therefore it would not be appropriate to provide this detail.

Antiship Missiles: Procurement

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the projected whole life costs of Sea Venom (a) were originally and (b) are as of 13 October 2023.

James Cartlidge: The original Sea Venom Business Case from 2012 provided a cost of £452 million for the demonstration and manufacture phases of the project. The current forecast is £493.8 million. These figures do not include the integration costs associated with the project, including ship modification costs, as these were transferred into the Martlet Business Case in 2013. Through life support cost estimates are commercially sensitive.

AWE Burghfield: Procurement

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the projected whole life costs of MENSA (a) were originally and (b) are as of 13 October 2023.

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the projected whole life cost of the PEGASUS programme (a) was originally and (b) is as of 13 October 2023.

James Cartlidge: Portfolio data is published annually in support of the Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) Annual Report which includes a budget baseline and the latest HM Treasury approved estimates in respect of whole life costs. The reports are published here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/major-projects-data.

Guided Weapons: Procurement

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the projected whole life costs of Marlet (a) were originally and (b) are as of 13 October 2023.

James Cartlidge: The original Martlet business case from 2013 provided a cost of £311 million for the demonstration and manufacture phases of the project. The current forecast is £433 million which includes helicopter integration, ship modification and training solution costs shared with the associated Sea Venom project. Through life support cost estimates are commercially sensitive.

Electronic Warfare: Navy

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the projected whole life costs of the Maritime Electronic Warfare programme (a) were originally and (b) are as of 13 October 2023.

James Cartlidge: An answer cannot be provided as the Whole Life Costs of the Maritime Electronic Warfare programme are commercially sensitive and therefore it would not be appropriate to provide this detail.

F-35 Aircraft: Procurement

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the projected whole life costs of the Lighting Programme (a) were originally and (b) are as of 13 October 2023.

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the projected whole life costs of the Maritime Patrol Aircraft programme (a) were originally and (b) are as of 13 October 2023.

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the projected whole life costs of MARSHALL (a) were originally and (b) are as of 13 October 2023.

James Cartlidge: Portfolio data is published annually in support of the Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) Annual Report which includes a budget baseline and the latest HM Treasury approved estimates in respect of whole life costs. The reports are published here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/major-projects-data

Reserve Forces' and Cadets' Associations: Staff

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many staff work for the Reserve Forces and Cadets Division as of 13 October 2023.

Dr Andrew Murrison: Within the Reserve Forces and Cadets Directorate there is currently a team of 36.

Armed Forces: Racial Discrimination

Alex Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the extent of racism in the armed forces.

Alex Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to tackle racism in the armed forces.

Dr Andrew Murrison: The Armed Forces, and Defence as a whole, are committed to taking action to eradicate racism and have a zero-tolerance approach towards it. We are committed to solidifying racial equality as a fundamental principle in Defence, creating a more inclusive environment for all, enabling everyone, irrespective of background, to deliver our outputs, enhance our operational effectiveness and better represent the nation we serve. Our department-wide Diversity and Inclusion strategy, the Armed Forces Race Action Plan, and the Civil Service Race Action Plan clearly set out a challenging vision, goals, objectives, and commitments of where we want to see change.We continue a wide programme of work to prevent and tackle unacceptable behaviour. All allegations of such behaviour are taken extremely seriously and investigated thoroughly. Service personnel have a number of routes to raise such issues, either with the military police, within the Chain of Command or independently with Diversity and Inclusion Advisers. Defence has mandated Active Bystander training so that personnel have the skills to challenge unacceptable behaviour effectively when it does occur.

Army: Training

Martin Docherty-Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many formal complaints of violent behaviour by staff towards personnel under the age of 18 have been recorded on the Joint Personnel Administration system at the (a) Army Foundation College, (b) Army Training Centre and (c) Infantry Training Centre since 2014.

Dr Andrew Murrison: Due to the way in which data is held and recorded on the Joint Personnel Administration system, this information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Army: Training

Martin Docherty-Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the cost to the public purse of Phase 1 and 2 infantry training for an army recruit initially enrolled at (a) Army Foundation College, Harrogate and (b) Infantry Training Centre, Catterick.

Dr Andrew Murrison: The Junior Entry Long Course at the Army Foundation College (Harrogate) costs £133,000 per successful trainee. For Initial Trade Training at the Infantry Training Centre (Catterick), Junior Entry per successful trainee costs: £37,000 for Line Infantry; £46,000 for Guards; and £114,000 for Paras.

Armed Forces: Recruitment

Alex Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has set targets for the recruitment of (a) women and (b) ethnic minorities to the armed forces.

Dr Andrew Murrison: The Armed Forces are committed to attracting, retaining and developing the best talent from the broadest diversity of skills and background, to reflect the society we serve. A Level of Ambition of 30% inflow of women by 2030 was approved by the then Secretary of State and announced in 2021, building on the content of the previously published Defence Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2018-2030. This is both "stretching and challenging" and a clear statement that Defence wants to improve, recognises the mission critical value women bring and is creating conversations and driving improvement activities. At this time no equivalent Level of Ambition has been published for the inflow of ethnic minority recruits. However, Defence is undertaking a wide range of activities to increase their recruitment into the Armed Forces, through better understanding and greater engagement with ethnic minority communities, reviewing recruitment processes and more targeted marketing and communications towards potential ethnic minority applicants.

Combined Cadet Force

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many schools the Combined Cadet Force worked with in 2023.

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many schools the Combined Cadet Force worked with in 2010.

Dr Andrew Murrison: Combined Cadet Force (CCF) contingents across the UK in the independent and state sectors: YearNumber of Schools20102562023536 The growth in the number of schools with CCF contingents has been due to the joint Ministry of Defence/Department for Education Cadet Expansion Programme (CEP) which was launched by the Government in 2012. Before the CEP, 75% of CCF units were in independent schools. CEP has prioritised schools in less affluent areas and now over 60% of CCFs are in state schools.

Devonport Dockyard: Repairs and Maintenance

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the projected whole life cost of the Submarine Waterfront Infrastructure Future programme (a) was originally and (b) is as of 13 October 2023.

James Cartlidge: I am withholding the projected whole life cost of the Submarine Waterfront Infrastructure Future programme as its disclosure would prejudice commercial interests.

Veterans: Radiation Exposure

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department holds data on the number of veterans who are to be awarded the new Nuclear Test Medal.

Dr Andrew Murrison: As of 16 October 2023, the Ministry of Defence Medal Office has processed a total of 2,519 successful Nuclear Test Medal applications. Of these 1,060 medals have been dispatched.

Armed Forces: Health Services

James Sunderland: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether armed forces personnel are entitled to use local NHS care at their home residence whilst off duty; and whether his Department has issued guidance to armed forces personnel on what steps to take if care is refused by local NHS services.

Dr Andrew Murrison: The Defence Medical Services (DMS) provide an occupationally focused primary healthcare service for Armed Forces personnel. Secondary healthcare is provided by the NHS: the DMS has influence on NHS commissioning policy and delivery, to ensure that specific Defence requirements are met. Armed Forces personnel can, by exception, access urgent NHS primary care near their home residence while off-duty, as a temporary registered patient, if they are unfit to travel to a DMS facility to make sure they get the healthcare support they need. Personnel should contact their registered DMS medical facility in the first instance to discuss their care needs, and to inform of the intention to access NHS services. Their DMS GP will continue to be their main registered GP and it is important that personnel return to using DMS services as soon as possible. Personnel can also access NHS out of hours services such as going to A&E in a medical emergency, using the 111 service or going to an urgent care service such as a walk-in centre or minor injuries unit. Armed Forces personnel should contact their DMS medical facility, as their care co-ordinator, about any declined access to UK healthcare services to which they are entitled.

Armed Forces: Gliding

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has recently made of the operational capacity of volunteer gliding squadrons; and what steps he is taking to increase the availability of gliding induction courses for air cadets.

Dr Andrew Murrison: The Royal Air Force (RAF) No.2 Flying Training School has eight units that are currently providing Gliding Induction Flights to members of the RAF Air Cadets, with two more units planned to commence flights in early 2024.

France: Nuclear Weapons

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the projected whole life cost of the TEUTATES programme (a) was originally and (b) is as of 13 October 2023.

James Cartlidge: In accordance with the TEUTATES Treaty, the building, operating and dismantling costs will be shared equitably between the UK and France. I am therefore withholding the original and current costs as their release would, or would be likely to, prejudice relations between the United Kingdom and other States and would constitute a breach of confidence.

Ministry of Defence: Telecommunications

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the projected whole life cost of the Project Bramley programme (a) was originally and (b) is as of 13 October 2023.

James Cartlidge: I am withholding this information on the grounds of National Security as its disclosure would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Ministry of Defence.

Navy: Repairs and Maintenance

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the projected whole life costs of Naval Support Integrated Global Network (a) were originally and (b) are as of 13 October 2023.

James Cartlidge: The Naval Support Integrated Global Network programme has not yet reached the stage in the project cycle at which whole life costs are identified and therefore it is not possible to provide the requested detail at this time.

Fleet Solid Support Ships: Iron and Steel

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what categories of steel will be required to construct the Fleet Solid Support Ships.

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate has his Department made of the proportion of UK steel that will be used to construct the Fleet Solid Support Ships.

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department is placing a requirement on contractors as part of the Fleet Solid Support Ships programme to source a specific proportion of steel from UK steel yards.

James Cartlidge: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave to him and the right hon. Member for North Durham (Kevan Jones) on 22 November 2022 to Questions 88822, 88826 and 89759. Fleet Solid Support Ships; Steel (docx, 14.8KB)

Home Office

Refugees: Afghanistan

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with her counterpart in Pakistan on immigration enforcement action against Afghan nationals who are in Pakistan awaiting final checks on UK visa applications; what steps she is taking to prevent Afghan nationals in this position being sent back to Afghanistan on the grounds that documentation allowing them to be in Pakistan has expired; and if she will make a statement.

Robert Jenrick: The Home Office is unable to comment on ongoing discussions taking place with Pakistan on this.

Drugs: Crime

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she is taking steps with Cabinet colleagues to help tackle the promotion of illegal body building drugs on (a) TikTok and (b) other social media platforms.

Chris Philp: Specified anabolic steroids, which are associated with bodybuilding, are controlled under Class C of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and it is an offence to supply these.The Online Safety Bill will require all tech companies to take robust action against illegal content. Priority offences listed in schedule 7 of the Bill reflect the most serious and prevalent illegal content and activity, against which companies must take measures. This includes the sale of controlled and illegal drugs. Companies will need to take proactive measures to identify and tackle this content on their platforms.

Short-term Holding Facilities: Children

Ian Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to HM Chief Inspector of Prisons Report on an unannounced inspection of short-term holding facilities at Western Jet Foil, Manston and Kent Intake Unit, published on 6 June 2023, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that children are made to feel safe, supported and that their welfare and safeguarding needs are met at those facilities.

Ian Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in reference to HM Chief Inspector of Prisons Report on an unannounced inspection of short-term holding facilities at Western Jet Foil, Manston and Kent Intake Unit, published on 6 June 2023, what steps her Department is taking to help improve the facilities for children and young people at Western Jet Foil, Manston and Kent Intake Unit.

Ian Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to HM Chief Inspector of Prisons Report on an unannounced inspection of short-term holding facilities at Western Jet Foil, Manston and Kent Intake Unit, published on 6 June 2023, what steps she is taking to improve governance of adult and child safeguarding at those facilities.

Ian Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to HM Chief Inspector of Prisons' Report on an unannounced inspection of short-term holding facilities at Western Jet Foil, Manston and Kent Intake Unit, what steps she has taken in response to the concern that care planning for vulnerable detainees, children and those with disabilities was poor and did not demonstrate individual planning, risk assessment or meaningful welfare checks.

Ian Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to HM Chief Inspector of Prisons' Report on an unannounced inspection of short-term holding facilities at Western Jet Foil, Manston and Kent Intake Unit, what steps she has taken in response to the concern that there was limited evidence of engagement by staff with detainees to monitor their welfare or resolve concerns.

Ian Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to HM Chief Inspector of Prisons' Report on an unannounced inspection of short-term holding facilities at Western Jet Foil, Manston and Kent Intake Unit, what steps she has taken in response to the concern that during busy periods detainees had often been held for considerably longer in marquees in unacceptable conditions.

Robert Jenrick: The Home Office’s responses to the Priority and Key Concerns set out in the HMIP report are covered in the Service Improvement Plan which is published on the HMIP website at Short-term holding facilities at Western Jet Foil, Manston and Kent Intake Unit (justiceinspectorates.gov.uk)

Refugees: Finance

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of starting the move-on period for refugees granted asylum when they receive notice of their asylum decision on (a) refugees and (b) local authorities.

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions her Department held with local authorities before the change in practice of calculating the 28 days prior to asylum support ending for new refugees to when the asylum application decision is made.

Robert Jenrick: All individuals who receive a positive decision on their asylum claim are eligible to support and accommodation for at least 28 days from when their decision is served.We offer move on support to all individuals through Migrant Help or their partner organisation in doing this. This includes providing advice on accessing the labour market, on applying for Universal Credit and signposting to local authorities for assistance with housing.Individuals do not need to wait for their BRP to make a claim for benefits and are encouraged to do so as early as possible, if they require them.We work closely with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) to ensure the right asylum decision data is being shared with local authorities to enable effective planning and to lessen the impact on existing homelessness and rough sleeping pressures. Our accommodation providers are directly working with local authorities to notify them when an individual is due to have their asylum support ended.We are working with our partners, including Local Authorities, to provide timely notification of key events that impact them. We are working with our SMP to facilitate regional sessions with councils and to share data.

Refugees: Afghanistan

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to take steps to ensure that freelance journalists who are threatened by the Afghan government will be eligible for resettlement under the second stage of pathway three of the Afghan Citizen Resettlement Scheme.

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to publish the eligibility criteria for the second stage of the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme Pathway 3.

Robert Jenrick: The UK has made an ambitious and generous commitment to help relocate at-risk people in Afghanistan. To date, nearly 24,600 people have been brought to safety, this includes at-risk journalists, as well as the first individuals to be relocated under Pathway 3 of the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS).Under the first stage of Pathway 3, the government will consider for resettlement all eligible at risk-British Council and contractors and alumni, who expressed interest during the FCDO’s window of opportunity. Our immediate focus is on ensuring their resettlement.In the second stage of Pathway 3, our commitment to work with international partners and NGOs to welcome wider groups of Afghans at risk still stands. We are not able to open for referrals at this present time, but further information will be published in due course.We recognise there are many vulnerable individuals who remain in Afghanistan and the region. Unfortunately, the capacity of the UK to resettle people is not unlimited and difficult decisions about who will be prioritised have to be made.

Nuisance Calls

Allan Dorans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to reduce the number of international (a) cold and (b) scam callers to domestic (i) landlines and (ii) mobile telephone numbers.

Tom Tugendhat: As the Government set out in the Fraud Strategy, we are taking a range of actions to tackle criminals making fraudulent calls to the UK public.In August, we launched an eight-week consultation on proposals to ban cold calls on all financial products, in addition to a previous ban on cold calls for pensions. This will mean that anyone who receives an unsolicited call trying to sell them a product such as crypto currency or insurance, will know it’s a scam. We also support National Trading Standards in the roll out of call blocking devices to vulnerable people.Ofcom have already strengthened activity against ‘spoofed’ calls and new rules have now come into force to ensure that operators block calls from suspicious numbers from the UK and overseas. They also continue to look at significant long-term measures that will further tackle scam calling.

James Ibori

Dame Margaret Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Framework for transparent and accountable asset return, published in January 2022, what steps her Department is taking to (a) send the money confiscated from former Nigerian governor James Ibori and his associates in July 2023 to the Delta State government within the shortest reasonable timeframe, (b) ensure that all information on the (i) transfer and (ii) administration of returned assets is published and available in both the (A) transferring and (B) receiving countries and (c) ensure that civil society organisations in the UK are able to (1) monitor the use of the funds and (2) hold the government to account.

Tom Tugendhat: In July 2023, confiscation orders totalling over £129 million were made against James Ibori and Bhadresh Gohil. Once the funds have been realised, we will, in line with our asset return framework, work with the relevant stakeholders, including CSOs, to ensure that these funds are returned via the most appropriate mechanism and in the best interest of both the requested and requesting state.When returning funds, the UK will always sign a case-specific agreement with the relevant country detailing the steps that the recipient Government will take to ensure the funds are put to their intended use. All agreements which oversee the return of funds abroad are published on gov.ukThe UK is a signatory to the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) and places great importance on the recovery and return of the proceeds of corruption. In January 2022, the UK published its first ever Framework for Transparent and Accountable Asset Return, which applies across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The purpose of the Framework is to ensure consistency, transparency and accountability in the UK’s process for returning assets.

National Counter Terrorism Security Office: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much the National Counter Terrorism Security Office spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Tom Tugendhat: The National Counter-Terrorism Security Office is a police hosted unit that supports the Protect and Prepare strands of the Government’s counter-terrorism strategy, CONTEST.Budgets for national units are set by Counter-Terrorism Policing Headquarters, who work with the Home Office to advise on funding for the counter-terrorism policing network. Overall levels of counter-terrorism police funding are confirmed annually as part of the annual police funding statement set out to Parliament. (https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2022-12-14/debates/22121458000011/ProvisionalPoliceGrantReport(EnglandAndWales)2023-24).The Home Office does not routinely require police forces specifically to report on counter-terrorism police expenditure on equality and diversity training. In any event, breakdowns of counter-terrorism police funding allocations are not provided publicly for national security reasons.

Hate Crime: Muslims

Afzal Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has held meetings in 2023 on (a) Islamophobia and (b) hate crime against Muslims.

Tom Tugendhat: This Government is committed to doing everything we can to tackle anti-Muslim hatred, and all forms of prejudice in our society. Ministers across Government hold meetings covering these important issues regularly.Details of meetings with external organisations are published on gov.uk.In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of internal discussions are not normally disclosed.

Community Relations

Mark Logan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has taken recent steps with charities and voluntary organisations to promote (a) social cohesion and (b) community safety.

Chris Philp: The Government meets regularly with charities and voluntary groups for the purposes of enhancing community safety and promoting social cohesion.

Home Office: Mental Health Services

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of contracting (a) rehabilitation, (b) therapy and (c) other similar services for frontline staff.

Chris Philp: The Home Office has in place an evidence-based Health & Wellbeing Strategy with annual performance targets which applies to all employees.This strategy includes the provision of an Occupational Health Service and Employee Assistance Programme which offers counselling services and other support in accordance with clinical need.

Police: Uniforms

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to introduce a national police uniform for town and county forces.

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many approved suppliers of police uniforms there are in the UK as of 13 October 2023.

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much her Department spent on the provision of police uniforms in each of the last five years.

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she is taking steps to improve the quality of police uniforms.

Chris Philp: Our police face some of the most challenging situations on a daily basis and it is vital that they have access to the equipment and clothing that they need to keep themselves safe and protect our communities.Decisions about police uniform and equipment are a matter for Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners and are therefore managed locally by forces.There are no current plans for the Government to implement a national police uniform.

Police: Counter-terrorism

Neil Coyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department provides (a) guidance and (b) training to police officers on ensuring that (i) Hamas logos and chants are swiftly identified and (ii) any person suspected of promoting terror in the UK is arrested.

Chris Philp: The Government takes proscription offences seriously. Investigations into the activities of proscribed organisations or individuals who may be members of or who demonstrate support for proscribed organisations are an operational matter for the police and intelligence agencies.Following the terrorist attacks on Israel, the Home Secretary wrote to police chiefs in England and Wales urging them to step up patrols and use the full force of the law to tackle those inciting hatred towards our Jewish communities.The Home Secretary and the Prime Minister have hosted a roundtable with police chiefs and the Community Security Trust (CST) to discuss the practical steps that can be taken to enhance the operational response to any potential disorder.Public order policing has disseminated briefing materials to police forces covering hate crime and the proscription offences, including advice on the flags associated with proscribed organisations Hamas and Hizballah.

Forced Marriage: Children

Mrs Pauline Latham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) convictions, (b) prosecutions, (c) arrests and (d) live, ongoing criminal investigations there were for the new crime of arranging for a child to marry between the introduction of the Marriage and Civil Partnerships (Minimum Age) Act 2022 and 31 July 2023; and how many referrals the Forced Marriage Unit has received for child marriage cases in that time period.

Mrs Pauline Latham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has (a) provided training for police officers on and (b) taken steps to monitor enforcement by police of the new crime of arranging for a child to marry since the introduction of the Marriage and Civil Partnerships (Minimum Age) Act 2022; whether her Department has published guidance for police officers on (i) preventing and (ii) intervening in suspected child marriage cases; what data her Department holds on safeguarding measures introduced by police forces to help ensure that suspected child marriage cases are managed adequately; and whether she has had discussions with the Secretaries of State for Health and for Education on (A) training on, (B) monitoring of, (C) guidance on and (D) safeguarding measures for the management of such cases by (1) social workers and (2) teachers.

Mrs Pauline Latham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what funding and how many full-time equivalent staff have been allocated to the Forced Marriage Unit in each financial year since its foundation; and how many cases have been reported to that unit in each of those years.

Mrs Pauline Latham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how (a) much funding and (b) many full-time equivalent staff have been allocated to the Forced Marriage Unit in each financial year since its was founded; and how many cases have been reported to that unit in each of those years.

Miss Sarah Dines: The Government is committed to tackling forced marriage. On 27 February 2023, we brought into force legislation which raised the minimum age of marriage and civil partnership in England and Wales to 18, and expanded the offence of forced marriage so it is illegal to do anything to cause a child to marry before they turn 18, even if coercion is not used. The joint Home Office and Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) Forced Marriage Unit (FMU) has been actively raising awareness of the new forced marriage legislation in all its presentations and across its social media platforms since January 2023. The FMU runs regular workshops and presentations for police officers, social workers, local authorities, registrars and others. In 2022, the FMU delivered training to 1,537 professionals and the unit has reached over 3,000 professionals by the end of September 2023. This includes bespoke training sessions on request to police forces. Over 650 police officers have been given this training since the legislation changed in February 2023. The Home Office also worked with the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead on HBA to ensure that forces were prepared for the commencement of the legislation. This included a joint national meeting with relevant force leads and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) before the legislation came into force. While the Home Office does not directly hold data on safeguarding measures introduced by police forces to help ensure that suspected child marriage cases are managed adequately, we do work closely with the dedicated NPCC lead for Honour Based Abuse to ensure forces have the support they need. In addition, the College of Policing published authorised professional practice guidance for officers on ‘honour’-based abuse (HBA) which has been updated together with domestic abuse training and the Police Education Qualifications Framework to incorporate material about the new legislation. Whilst there have not been dedicated meetings on this subject with Home Office Ministers and the DHSC and DfE Secretaries of State, Ministers do meet regularly to discuss matters of crime and safeguarding, with a dedicated VAWG Ministerial Steering Group taking place later this month. The FMU is jointly funded by the Home Office and FCDO. It currently has six full time staff, two joint heads (one from each department) and four case workers. The Unit’s operating costs including staff time, outreach activity and casework are funded through the departmental budgets of its parent organisations. Statistics on prosecutions and convictions for the new offence of arranging for a child to marry as part of the Marriage and Civil Partnerships (Minimum Age) Act 2022 are the responsibility of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and are not currently available as the offence only came into force in February 2023. Statistics on the offence will be available in future publications of MoJ’s Criminal Justice System Statistics. The Government does not hold data on arrests or investigations for the offence. The FMU publishes annual statistics, including on the total number of cases per year, online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/forced-marriage-unit-statistics.

Migrants: Finance

Claire Hanna: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many migrants sought assistance through the national referral mechanism in (a) Northern Ireland and (b) the UK in the latest period for which data is available; and how many and what proportion of these migrants were unsuccessful in their application for support.

Claire Hanna: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of people who sought asylum in Northern Ireland were (a) of Eritrean nationality and (b) referred to the national referral mechanism as potential victims of trafficking in the latest period for which data is available.

Robert Jenrick: The Illegal Migration publishes statistics published by the Home Office can be found here: Statistics relating to the Illegal Migration Act - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)The Home Office publishes statistics regarding asylum, which can be found here: Asylum and resettlement datasets - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)The Home Office publishes quarterly and annual statistics regarding the National Referral Mechanism (NRM), which can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/national-referral-mechanism-statisticsThe Home Office does not publish data on the specific information you have requested.

Police: Finance

Sarah Champion: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to reinstate capital grants for police forces in England.

Chris Philp: From 2022/23 all forces received their core funding as resource grant. This provides maximum flexibility and options for investing in critical infrastructure and is in line with funding for local authorities as set out at the Local Government Finance Settlement.We will consider these funding arrangements at the next Spending Review.

Visas: Applications

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of (a) family, (b) student, (c) settlement, (d) visitor and (e) work visas submitted in the last 12 months have taken longer to process than the limits set by their respective customer service standards.

Robert Jenrick: The Home Office makes every attempt to meet the service level agreement standard, but in certain cases additional checks are required which can mean visa requests take longer to process. Data on performance against service standards is published through migration transparency data and can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/migration-transparency-data#uk-visas-and-immigration

Asylum: Doctors

Matt Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many foreign-trained doctors have claimed asylum in the last five years.

Matt Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) engineers and (b) people working in engineering professions have claimed asylum in the last five years.

Matt Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) teachers and (b) higher education educators have claimed asylum in the last five years.

Robert Jenrick: The Asylum screening and routing: caseworker guidance instructs caseworkers to record details relating to the asylum claimant’s level of education and occupation in their screening record. However, this information is not held in format suitable for reporting at a large scale, as it would be recorded as free text. Therefore, this question could only be answered at disproportionate cost as it would require a manual trawl to count specific professions.

Refugees: Afghanistan

Peter Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people from Afghanistan who were resettled to the UK under the (a) ARAP and (b) ACRS remain in a bridging hotel after their notice to quit date has passed because they have not found alternative accommodation as of 13 October 2023.

Peter Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people from Afghanistan who were resettled to the UK under the (a) ARAP and (b) ACRS have been evicted from bridging accommodation in each of the last 12 months; of those people, how many and what proportion were (a) moved to temporary accommodation and (b) without accommodation upon eviction; and how many and what proportion of those people are (i) in temporary accommodation and (ii) without accommodation as of 13 October 2023.

Peter Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of people from Afghanistan who were resettled to the UK under the (a) ARAP and (b) ACRS were in bridging accommodation when her Department (i) announced that it would begin to issue and (ii) began to issue notices to quit.

Robert Jenrick: Our recent release of transparency data, published on 19 September 2023, following the end of hotels being used as bridging accommodation can be accessed at Afghan bridging hotel exit operational data - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)The latest statistics (published on 24th August 2023) from the immigration system statistics quarterly release - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) provides a quarterly breakdown of the number of individuals resettled under both the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) and Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) in temporary accommodation up until the end of June 2023. For detailed data, see table Asy D02.From the end of April 2023, resettled Afghan families staying in hotels and serviced apartments began to receive Notices to Quit their bridging accommodation. Residents received at least three months' notice to make arrangements to leave their hotel or serviced accommodation and were given clear guidance on the support they could access to help them find their own accommodation.Despite all efforts, some families have been unable to find their own accommodation or unwilling to take up offers of housing and have needed to present as homeless. The statutory homelessness system provides a safety net, and no family will be left without a roof over their head.We are unable to provide a running commentary on bridging accommodation occupation. When the notices to quit were announced by the Minister for Veterans' Affairs on 28 March, there were over 8,000 Afghans living in bridging accommodation.

Asylum: Tuberculosis

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an assessment with Cabinet colleagues of the potential impact on public health of relocating people seeking asylum that are receiving treatment for tuberculosis.

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on the number of asylum seekers waiting for a decision on their application who have been diagnosed with tuberculosis as of October 2023.

Robert Jenrick: The Home Office is fully committed to work closely with local authorities and the NHS. Individuals on asylum support with tuberculosis (TB) are accommodated in line with our policy and contractual provisions with our accommodation providers. We work in partnership with local health provision to improve services for supported asylum seekers.For purpose of containing any outbreaks or infections, the Home Office has designated isolation space available in South England where those identified as having either symptoms of a contagious infection (including notifiable and non-notifiable communicable diseases) or declaring that they are suffering from such are moved to directly following arrival at the UK border.

Home Office: Rwanda

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 22 September 2023 to Question 199531 on Rwanda: Visits Abroad, how much and what proportion of the £7,269.90 was spent on (a) flights, (b) accommodation and (c) hospitality.

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 22 September 2023 to Question 199532 on Rwanda: Visits Abroad, how much and what proportion of the £5577.62 was spent on (a) flights, (b) accommodation and (c) hospitality.

Robert Jenrick: Published transparency data for Home Office senior officials' business expenses and meetings, January 2023 to March 2023, has been amended and updated on Gov.uk, on 27th September 2023. So, the £7,269.80 and £5,577.62 figures are now superseded. Please refer to the link below for the revised data.Home Office: senior officials’ business expenses and meetings, January 2023 to March 2023 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Asylum: Applications

John McNally: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has made (a) a comparative assessment of the speed of processing asylum claims for (i) her Department's existing method and (ii) alternative methods and (b) an assessment of the efficiency of alternative methods taken by other nations.

Robert Jenrick: We have taken immediate action to speed up asylum processing whilst maintaining the integrity of the system. This includes simplifying guidance and streamlining processes. We have also introduced shorter, focussed interviews, making the interview process more efficient.The asylum backlog of legacy cases had fallen by over 35,000 cases, between the end of November 2022 and the end of August 2023, and has continued to fall since the last publication of statistics.Information on the legacy backlog is published online in the IMB_02 Tab of the data table regarding Statistics relating to the Illegal Migration Act - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk(opens in a new tab)). This data is provisional and has not been cleansed to remove duplicates.In the year ending June 2023, there were 23,702 initial decisions made on asylum applications, 61% more than in the previous year. This is in part due to an increase in the number of asylum decision makers employed by the Home Office.We are confident that with increased capacity and improved efficiency this will help deliver further significant output over the coming months.

UK Border Force: Uniforms

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has issued guidance on the wearing of pride coloured epaulettes by Border Force officials.

Robert Jenrick: Standard guidance has been issued to all Border Force staff on the wearing of pride epaulettes.

Visas: Skilled Workers

Matthew Pennycook: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to (a) investigate allegations of and (b) prevent potential exploitation of the Skilled Worker route by third parties that results in financial loss for skilled worker visa applicants.

Robert Jenrick: UKVI Work Services have numerous functions which focus and respond to allegations of Worker Exploitation. A bespoke Seasonal Agricultural Compliance team exists for the Farming Sector and for other issues, we have an Embassy Team function who engage with foreign missions on the matter. Underpinning all of this is our Investigations team who translate compliance and safeguarding issues into tangible disruption activity. Where exploitation is identified, referrals are also made to other relevant functions to take forward such as the Police and National Referral Mechanism.

Visas: Skilled Workers

Matthew Pennycook: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many allegations of exploitation of the Skilled Worker route by third parties have been investigated by her Department in the last 12 months; and how many and what proportion of those investigations have resulted in (a) the recovery of funds and (b) other forms of compensation for skilled worker visa applicants who were found to have been exploited.

Robert Jenrick: The Government is committed to tackling all forms of modern slavery and through the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and has given law enforcement agencies the tools to tackle modern slavery, including maximum life sentences for perpetrators and enhanced protection for victims. However, the Home Office does not routinely publish data on this matter.

Asylum: RAF Scampton

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what sum her Department has spent on preparing RAF Scampton to house asylum seekers.

Robert Jenrick: All Home Office commercial contracts are designed to ensure the best value for taxpayers and the Home Office closely monitors its contractor's performance, including financial results.The Home Office continues to provide alternative sites to ensure asylum seekers will be in adequate, safe and secure accommodation appropriate for this purpose, whilst providing value for money for the taxpayer.

Refugees: Palestinians

Claire Hanna: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of creating safe routes to the UK for Palestinians.

Robert Jenrick: The safety of all British nationals continues to be our utmost priority. The UK is also calling for unimpeded humanitarian access in Gaza so that essential aid can reach civilian populations, including food, water, fuel and medical supplies.The Home Office has not considered establishing a separate route for Palestinians to come to the UK. Since 2015, over half a million people were offered safe and legal routes into the UK. We are not able to provide a tailored route for every conflict.

Antisemitism

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department are taking to protect Jewish people from hate crimes.

Miss Sarah Dines: The Government is clear that all forms of hate crime, including antisemitic hate crime, are completely unacceptable. We expect the police fully to investigate these abhorrent offences and make sure those who commit them feel the full force of the law.In March 2023, the Home Secretary, announced the continuation of the Jewish Community Protective Security Grant and increased funding for 2023/24 by £1 million, to a total of £15 million. This grant provides protective security measures at Jewish schools, colleges, nurseries, and some other Jewish community sites, as well as a number of synagogues.In light of the horrific Hamas terrorist acts in Israel and related reports of increased incidents of antisemitism in the UK, the Prime Minister has announced additional funding of £3 million for the Community Security Trust to provide additional security at Jewish schools, synagogues and other sites.The Home Secretary chairs the Jewish Community Crime, Policing and Security Taskforce. This meeting brings together Government, law enforcement and the Community Security Trust in order to address Jewish community security concerns.The Home Secretary also meets the Metropolitan Police Commissioner regularly, along with senior officers across the country, to ensure the police are doing everything they can to protect Jewish people from these crimes.

Forensic Science

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the (a) membership and (b) terms of reference is for the forensic science reform programme board.

Chris Philp: The membership of the Forensic Reform Programme Board, in addition to officials from the Home Office and Ministry of Justice, includes:Association of Forensic Science ProvidersAssociation of Police and Crime CommissionersAttorney General’s OfficeBar CouncilBlueLight CommercialChartered Society of Forensic ScientistsCrown Prosecution ServiceFirst Forensic ForumForensics ArchiveForensic Capability NetworkForensic Science Northern IrelandForensic Science RegulatorJudicial OfficeLaw societyNational Crime AgencyNational Police Chiefs’ CouncilPolice Digital ServiceScottish Police Authority Forensic ServiceUniversity of LausanneUnited Kingdom Accreditation ServiceVictims' CommissionerThe Terms of Reference of the Forensic Science Programme Board are as follows:The Board, which brings together stakeholders from across policing and the criminal justice system, steers and scrutinises reform to ensure that the forensics model that serves England and Wales is working for the whole of the CJS.The Board oversees completion of the Forensic Reform Programme and ensures that the programme’s interventions deliver the improvements needed. These interventions are intended to strengthen the forensics model and win back the confidence of stakeholders and partners who depend on it, in their service to justice and the public.

Asylum: Applications

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 18 September 2023 to Question 198491 on Asylum: Applications, how many legacy cases her Department plans to process in (a) October, (b) November and (c) December 2023.

Robert Jenrick: We have taken immediate action to speed up asylum processing whilst maintaining the integrity of the system. This includes simplifying guidance and streamlining processes. We have also introduced shorter, focussed interviews, making the interview process more efficient.The asylum backlog of legacy cases had fallen by over 35,000 cases, between the end of November 2022 and the end of August 2023, and has continued to fall since the last publication of statistics.Information on the legacy backlog is published online in the IMB_02 Tab of the data table regarding Statistics relating to the Illegal Migration Act - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). This data is provisional and has not been cleansed to remove duplicates.In the year ending June 2023, there were 23,702 initial decisions made on asylum applications, 61% more than in the previous year. This is in part due to an increase in the number of asylum decision makers employed by the Home Office.We are confident that with increased capacity and improved efficiency this will help deliver further significant output over the coming months.

Slavery

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 20 June 2023 to Question 188925 on Slavery: Victims, if she will publish her findings following consideration of the scope and process of any possible alternative assurance process; and if she will make a statement.

Robert Jenrick: We are continuing to keep under consideration the process and scope of any assurance process in respect of negative conclusive grounds decisions in the National Referral Mechanism. There are currently no planned statements or publications in respect of this ongoing work.

Undocumented Migrants: Japan

Dame Andrea Jenkyns: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has had discussions with her counterpart in Japan on the effectiveness of that country's policies to reduce illegal immigration.

Robert Jenrick: On 16 October 2023, the Home Secretary had a meeting with her counterpart, Minister Matsumura, Chairperson of the National Public Safety Commission.Whilst formal responsibility for migration sits within the Justice Ministry’s competence in Japan, their discussion acknowledged the global challenge posed by illegal migration, and the Home Secretary looked forward to further engagement with partners on this matter at the G7 Interior and Security Ministers’ meeting in Japan in December.

Short-term Holding Facilities: Paintings

Stephanie Peacock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to replace the murals that were painted over at migrant detention centres with more age appropriate artwork.

Robert Jenrick: The site is already equipped to cater for the needs of those that arrive, and the short time individuals are there. We try and move individuals on as soon as possible.

Asylum: Finance

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's news story of 12 September 2023 entitled New Illegal Migration Act measures and age dispute assessment tests, whether the consultations with local authorities and organisations within the sector to look at the UK’s capacity to accommodate and support those arriving through safe and legal routes will seek views on proposed additional safe routes..

Robert Jenrick: With the passing of the Illegal Migration Act, on 20 July 2023, the government has committed to introducing a cap on the number of people brought to the UK through safe and legal routes each year.The cap will be determined through consultation with local authorities to understand the UK’s capacity to accommodate and support individuals arriving through safe and legal routes.The consultation seeks to determine a realistic picture of the capacity that the UK has, to enable the operation of safe and legal routes for protection and ensure these routes form part of a well-managed and sustainable migration system.As the Prime Minister has stated, as we get a grip on illegal migration, we will be able to bring forward more safe and legal routes.

Refugees: Housing

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of refugees received their documentation before their 28 day move on notice period began in the last 12 months.

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if her Department will issue guidance to local authorities to state that refugees are eligible for homelessness prevention support from the date of notification of the decision on their asylum claim, without the need for evidence such as an eviction letter.

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if her Department will work with statutory services to manage the increase in demand for support for housing for refugees who have received notification of the decision on their asylum claim.

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending the move-on period for people who have received their asylum decisions to at least 56 days.

Robert Jenrick: We do not publish the information you have requested.We work closely with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) in ensuring individuals can move on from asylum support as smoothly as possible. With DLUHC, we are working to ensure the right asylum decision data is being shared with local authorities to enable effective planning and to lessen the impact on existing homelessness and rough sleeping pressures. Our accommodation providers are also directly working with local authorities to notify them when an individual is due to have their asylum support ended.Individuals should make plans to move on from asylum support as quickly as possible. We offer move onsupport through Migrant Help or their partner organisation in doing this. This includes providing advice on accessing the labour market, on applying for Universal Credit and signposting to local authorities for assistance with housing.The asylum accommodation estate is under huge strain and increasing the ‘move on’ period would exacerbate these pressures. There are no current plans to extend the prescribed period (of 28 days) for how long individuals remain on asylum support once they have received a grant of asylum.

Youth Mobility Scheme: EU Countries

Dr Philippa Whitford: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she is taking steps to negotiate bilateral youth mobility schemes with (a) the EU, (b) France, (c) Greece, (d) Italy and (e) Spain.

Robert Jenrick: The UK remain open to negotiating new Youth Mobility Scheme (YMS) arrangements with other countries and territories including EU Member States. However, as each YMS is subject to a bilateral, reciprocal arrangement which also provides benefit to UK nationals, with the details agreed between the relevant parties, we are unable to disclose the status of negotiations as they occur.

Visas: Appeals

Zarah Sultana: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has made a recent assessment of the impact of removing the right of appeal for applicants seeking entry to the UK as a family visitor in June 2013 on the families affected; and whether her Department has made a recent estimate of the number and proportion of family visit visa applications that were successful on re-application since June 2013.

Robert Jenrick: There is no recent assessment of the impact of the removal in 2013 of this right of appeal. Where the application includes a human rights claim, applicants retain the right of appeal against the refusal of the claim. This is in line with the changes made to the appeals system by the Immigration Act 2014.There is no recent estimate of the number and proportion of successful reapplications.

Immigration: Legal Profession

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Home Office and Ministry of Justice news story entitled Government to build cases to prosecute rogue immigration lawyers published on 8 August 2023, whether any non-immigration lawyers are being monitored by her Department; and if she will make a statement.

Robert Jenrick: The Home Office ensures that legal practitioners raising immigration matters have the correct regulatory credentials. If evidence exists that obligations have been breached, we may refer legal practitioners to regulators or law enforcement where criminality is evident.It would not be appropriate to comment further as this is operationally sensitive and would undermine the Home Office’s ability to tackle the threat if this information regarding the actions of a small number of legal practitioners was put into the public domain.

Refugees: Afghanistan

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy to (a) finalise UK visas and (b) provide permission to travel to the UK for Afghan nationals instructed to travel to Pakistan under the Afghan Citizen's Resettlement Scheme; and if she will make a statement.

Robert Jenrick: Supporting the resettlement of individuals eligible under the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) remains a priority for HMG, and we are issuing new visas to people from Afghanistan for settlement here. This means they immediately have the right to live, work and study in the UK.We recognise the difficult situation that many individuals find themselves in. We continue to work, including with likeminded partners and countries neighbouring Afghanistan on resettlement issues and to support safe passages for eligible Afghans.To date we have brought around 24,600 people affected by events in Afghanistan to safety. This includes those evacuated under Operation Pitting and those resettled and relocated under the ACRS and Afghans Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP). The ACRS is one of the most ambitious resettlement schemes in our countries history and provides those affected by events in Afghanistan with a safe and legal route to the UK.

Migrant Help: Standards

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 12 September 2023 on Migrant Help: Standards, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of an increase in the headcount for Migrant Help on the service standards they provide; what rectification actions are still outstanding; what progress Migrant Help have made on improving standards to the level set out in their contract; and if she will make a statement.

Robert Jenrick: The Home Office continues to work with Migrant Help in line with their contract to ensure that they take all rectification actions to bring about improvements. Migrant Help have increased their headcount to respond to the significant increase in demand for their services which is due to increased volumes of those destitute asylum seekers requiring accommodation.

Asylum

Elliot Colburn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her speech to the American Enterprise Institute in Washington DC on 26 September 2023, whether she plans to change the asylum application process for people applying on the basis of persecution due to a protected characteristic.

Robert Jenrick: To support decision-makers and our Courts we have clearly defined what persecution means in the Nationality and Borders Act 2022. This includes providing a non-exhaustive list of examples of the types of acts which may constitute persecution.Under Paragraph 328 of the Immigration Rules, all asylum applications continue to be decided in accordance with the Refugee Convention.

Hate Crime: Transgender People

Elliot Colburn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Official Statistics on Hate Crime, England and Wales, 2022 to 2023, published on 5 October 2023, what assessment she has made of the reasons for the increase in hate crime against transgender people; and what steps her Department plans to take to tackle hate crime against transgender people.

Sarah Champion: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will have discussions with LGBT (a) community organisations and (b) charities on steps to help prevent homophobic and transphobic hate crimes.

Miss Sarah Dines: The Government is clear that all forms of hate crime - including homophobic, biphobic and transphobic hate crime - are completely unacceptable.We have a robust legislative framework in place and expect the police fully to investigate these abhorrent offences and make sure those who commit them feel the full force of the law.Whilst part of the increase in transgender hate crime may be due to a genuine rise, the biggest driver is likely to be general improvement in police recording and identification of a hate crime, along with increased victim willingness to come forward. This is positive and reflects the hard work that has gone in to ensuring that police can target their resources, understand the scale of the challenge and ensure that victims get the support they need. Our absolute priority is to get more police into our streets, cut crime, protect the public and bring more criminals to justice. We are supporting police by providing them with the resources they need, including having recruited 20,000 additional police officers by March 2023. We also engage with relevant stakeholders when appropriate to do so.

Crimes of Violence: Eritrea

Alex Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to prevent (a) harassment and (b) violence against (i) women and (ii) elderly people from the UK's Eritrean community.

Miss Sarah Dines: Public sexual harassment is an appalling crime, and the Government has already taken significant action to tackle it. We have ensured that new guidance was published for police and prosecutors on existing offences, have provided £120 million through the Safer Streets and Safety of Women at Night Funds to make our streets safer, have created the new SafeStreet tool which allows people to pinpoint where they have felt unsafe and the police to take action. The Government also supported the Protection from Sex-Based Harassment in Public Act 2023, which makes public sexual harassment a specific offence. The Act received Royal Assent on 18th September 2023. Tackling violence against women and girls is a government priority. It is unacceptable and preventable, and an issue which blights the lives of millions. In July 2021, we published our cross-Government Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy to help ensure that women and girls are safe everywhere -- at home, online, at work and on the streets. Older people and women from the Eritrean community who are victims and survivors of VAWG have access to a range of support provided through the Government’s Domestic Abuse Plan and VAWG Strategy. This support includes:Over £2 million to provide specialist support to victims of VAWG from ethnic minority communities, undertaking a range of activities, including delivering training sessions and frontline professional services.In the 2023-24 and 2024-25 financial years, up to £361,000 and £432,000 respectively to Hourglass who support older victims of domestic abuse. This will provide enhanced helpline support with a focus on reaching marginalised communities across England and Wales.Up to £1.4 million annually until March 2025 to the Support for Migrant Victims Scheme, which provides wraparound support services for migrant victims of domestic abuse, including accommodation, subsistence, counselling and legal advice.

Fire and Rescue Services: Maternity Rights

Martyn Day: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will hold discussions with the Fire Brigades Union on its campaign for improved maternity rights in the Fire and Rescue Service.

Martyn Day: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the implications for her policies of the Fire Brigades Union campaign for improved maternity rights in the Fire and Rescue Service; and if she will make a statement.

Chris Philp: Setting fire pay and conditions, including setting a minimum national maternity entitlement, is the responsibility of employers, working through the National Joint Council.The Home Office plays no role in the negotiation or funding of firefighter pay.

Hampshire Police and Crime Commissioner: Staff

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent estimate she has made of the number of people employed by the Hampshire Police and Crime Commissioner's Office; and if she will make an assessment of how that figure compares to Commissioners' offices responsible for a similar geographical area.

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Hampshire Police and Crime Commissioner’s Model for Change.

Chris Philp: PCCs are responsible for the totality of policing within their force area. This includes delivering an effective and efficient police service to meet the priorities of the local community. As the locally elected representative for policing, it is for PCCs, working with their Chief Constable, to set their priorities for policing in their area and hold their Chief Constable to account for their performance.Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) are funded by the Government for their functions and this is distributed based on the relative needs of the police force they oversee. As a locally elected and democratically accountable individual, it is up to them to decide how to balance their expenditure on delivery of their policing and crime priorities, including the size and composition of the Office of the PCC.Ultimately, PCCs are directly elected by the communities they serve, and it is the public that can hold their PCC to account for their decisions and actions at the ballot box.

Community Policing: Portsmouth South

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of neighbourhood policing levels in Portsmouth South constituency.

Chris Philp: Improving visibility of policing in a targeted way should be a priority for all forces. That is why the Home Secretary and I wrote to all Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners in August 2023, asking them to set out their plans to increase visibility and confidence in local policing and report on their progress in this area by March 2024.It remains vital that neighbourhood policing is tailored around the needs of local communities. Decisions about the deployment of officers, including in neighbourhood policing roles, are for operationally independent Chief Constables, as they are best placed to use their local knowledge and experience to best serve the public interest.Police and Crime Commissioners are responsible for setting strategic policing objectives and for holding Chief Constables to account for their running of the force to ensure the public receives the high-quality policing they are entitled to expect.The Home Office does not hold constituency level data regarding officer numbers. However, as at 31 March 2023, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary has the highest number of officers in local policing roles (which includes neighbourhood policing roles) since comparable data began (March 2015), at 1,596 full-time equivalent (FTE) officers. This represents a 5.4% increase compared to the previous year.

Police: Portsmouth South

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to improve visibility of police in Portsmouth South constituency.

Chris Philp: Improving visibility of policing in a targeted way should be a priority for all forces. That is why the Home Secretary and I wrote to all Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners in August 2023, asking them to set out their plans to increase visibility and confidence in local policing and report on their progress in this area by March 2024.It remains vital that neighbourhood policing is tailored around the needs of local communities. Decisions about the deployment of officers, including in neighbourhood policing roles, are for operationally independent Chief Constables, as they are best placed to use their local knowledge and experience to best serve the public interest.Police and Crime Commissioners are responsible for setting strategic policing objectives and for holding Chief Constables to account for their running of the force to ensure the public receives the high-quality policing they are entitled to expect.The Home Office does not hold constituency level data regarding officer numbers. However, as at 31 March 2023, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary has the highest number of officers in local policing roles (which includes neighbourhood policing roles) since comparable data began (March 2015), at 1,596 full-time equivalent (FTE) officers. This represents a 5.4% increase compared to the previous year.

Anti-social Behaviour: Portsmouth South

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to tackle anti-social behaviour in Portsmouth South constituency.

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of community triggers in reducing anti-social behaviour.

Chris Philp: On 27 March, the Government launched the Anti-social Behaviour Action Plan (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/anti-social-behaviour-action-plan) ensuring the police, local authorities and other relevant agencies have the powers and tools they need to tackle the blight of anti-social behaviour facing communities across England and Wales.The plan is backed by £160m of funding. This includes up to £60m to fund an increased police and other uniformed presence to clamp down on anti-social behaviour, targeting hotspots. Initially we are working with 10 police force areas, but from 2024 we will support a hotspot approach across every police force area in England and Wales. We are also providing up to £50m to support the provision of Immediate Justice, by issuing out of court disposals with conditions to swiftly repair any damage – the aim being for them to start within 48 hours of referral. This will start in a number of trailblazer police force areas and be rolled out across England and Wales from 2024.As part of the Action Plan, we re-launched the Community Trigger as the ‘Anti-social Behaviour Case Review’, providing greater clarity on how and when it can be used, and encouraging agencies to automatically conduct reviews once the threshold has been hit. We updated the gov.uk pages https://www.gov.uk/guidance/anti-social-behaviour-asb-case-review-also-known-as-the-community-trigger to raise awareness of this tool to give victims and communities a say in the way that complaints of ASB are dealt with.

Domestic Service: Migrant Workers

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her Department's aims, purpose and forward plans are for the Overseas Domestic Worker Advisory Group; on what date that group last met; and when the group's next scheduled meeting is.

Robert Jenrick: The Government engages with a wide range of stakeholders on policy development concerning immigration routes, including Overseas Domestic Worker visas, and will continue to do so in future. The last meeting of the Overseas Domestic Worker Advisory Group was on 19 October 2022 and the date of the next such meeting is to be determined.

Asylum: Disability

Samantha Dixon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that disabled people in the asylum system receive the care they need.

Robert Jenrick: Asylum seekers have access to health and social care services from the point of arrival in the UK. The Home Office and its contractors work closely with the NHS, local authorities and non-governmental organisations to ensure that people can access the healthcare and support they need. All accommodation providers have a contractual duty to assist people in accessing the health care they need. The Home Office also operates a Safeguarding Hub to support vulnerable individuals in accessing these services.In addition, the Home Office contracts Migrant Help to provide advice and guidance to asylum seekers should they have an issue with their accommodation or support, and for signposting to health and welfare services. Asylum seekers can access Migrant Help 24/7, every day of the year by a freephone telephone number, via an online chat or completing an email enquiry form both of which can be accessed free of charge on the Migrant Help website. Interpreting and translation services are available through Migrant Help when the need arises for asylum seekers to raise any queries or concerns.Where an individual is on asylum support and has a care need, a referral will be made to the local authority for an assessment of care needs under the Care Act 2014. Our guidance sets out the approach to be taken by the Home Office to the duties and obligations owed to asylum seekers who have disabilities, care needs or both. In doing so it sets out how the framework of the Care Act 2014 should be interpreted by the Home Office and its external partners in the context of asylum support. The guidance can be found here: Asylum-Seekers-With-Care-Needs-v2.0ext.pdf (publishing.service.gov.uk)

Retail Trade: Crime

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the causes of increased levels of retail crime.

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to tackle verbal and physical abuse against shop workers.

Chris Philp: Retail crime, including shoplifting and violence and abuse, is not acceptable and the Government takes this issue very seriously. I expect police to take a zero-tolerance approach to it.Police forces across England and Wales have recently committed to pursuing any available evidence where there is a reasonable chance it could lead to catching a perpetrator and solving a crime. For retail crime this could include reviewing CCTV evidence and using the Police National Database for facial searches to identify suspects where appropriate to do so.The Home Office works closely with retailers and trade organisations, including the British Retail Consortium, Association of Convenience Stores and USDAW, and police partners via the National Retail Crime Steering Group (NRCSG) to understand the trends in crime affecting retailers and to ensure a robust response. In recent weeks, I have met senior policing leads and retail sector representatives to discuss the recent increase in shoplifting and what we can do together to tackle it.The Government legislated to introduce a statutory aggravating factor for assault against any public facing worker via section 156 of the Police Crime Sentencing and Courts Act 2022. This ensures the courts treat the public-facing nature of a victim’s role as an aggravating factor when considering the sentence for an offence.This week is Safer Business Action Week, where the National Business Crime Centre, police and partners across the country are joining together to tackle business crime in their communities, which has my full support. The week of action will involve Business Reductions Partnerships (BCRPs), Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) and the private security industry working with local police forces to deliver a focused operation with joint patrols, the targeted intervention of offenders and a range of crime prevention activity including raising awareness with the public. This week also promotes the ShopKind campaign, which signals to everybody how important this issue is and reminds customers to consider their behaviour towards shop staff.This Government has also given the police more resources to deal with crimes, including retail crime, and, thanks to our successful uplift programme through which we recruited over 20,000 additional officers, we now have a record number of officers across forces in England and Wales.

Refugees: Afghanistan

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the announcement by Pakistan's Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti on 3 October 2023 that Afghan asylum seekers must leave the country by the end of November 2023, if she will make it her policy to issue UK visas before that date to all Afghan citizens in Pakistan who are eligible to come to the UK and who are waiting for a decision from her Department under (a) the Afghan Citizen's Resettlement Scheme and (b) family reunion rules; and if she will make a statement.

Robert Jenrick: Supporting the resettlement of individuals eligible under the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) remains a priority for HMG, and we are issuing new visas to people from Afghanistan for settlement here.We recognise the difficult situation that many individuals find themselves in. We continue to work, including with likeminded partners and countries neighbouring Afghanistan on resettlement issues and to support safe passages for eligible Afghans.To date we have brought around 24,600 people affected by events in Afghanistan to safety. This includes those evacuated under Operation Pitting and those resettled and relocated under the ACRS and Afghans Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP). The ACRS is one of the most ambitious resettlement schemes in our countries history and provides those affected by events in Afghanistan with a safe and legal route to the UK.

Refugees: Afghanistan

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many open family reunion applications her Department has from Afghan citizens who legally travelled to Pakistan for the purposes of accessing a UK visa processing centre.

Robert Jenrick: The Government’s refugee family reunion policy provides a safe and legal route to bring families together.We prioritise all applications where the application has been made by an unaccompanied child under the age of 18. We will also prioritise applications where there is an evidenced urgent or compelling reason.The UK government does not hold information regarding the legality of non-British nationals’ entry into another country, nor their immigration status in countries outside of the UK. The most recent data can be found at Asylum and resettlement datasets - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)(opens in a new tab).

Burglary: Crime Prevention

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to reduce domestic burglaries.

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to help increase police charging rates for burglaries.

Chris Philp: Crime Survey for England and Wales data shows a 55% per cent fall in the level of domestic burglary when comparing the Crime Survey to year ending March 2023 with the year ending March 2010. This represents a fall from 917,000 incidents to 409,000 incidents. While this is clearly good news, the Government recognises the significant impact invasive crimes such as domestic burglary can have on individuals and the wider community, and we are committed to tackling and preventing these crimes.In her open letter to police leaders in September 2022, the Home Secretary made it clear the public want to know the police will visit them when a home burglary has been committed. We therefore welcome the announcement made by the National Police Chiefs’ Council on the 8 June that all 43 police forces in England and Wales have been implementing this policy since March. We are working with police leaders to ensure forces are making their attendance data available to the public. https://news.npcc.police.uk/releases/police-now-attending-scene-of-every-home-burglaryThe commitment to attend home burglaries is being supported by specific College of Policing good practice guidance on conducting residential burglary investigations. https://www.college.police.uk/guidance/residential-burglary Setting the standard in respect of the initial response and the subsequent investigation, the guidance sits alongside the College of Policing’s Authorised Professional Practice on Investigations.As part of this back-to-basics approach, police forces across England and Wales have committed to pursue all ‘reasonable lines of enquiry’ where there is a reasonable chance it could lead them to catching a perpetrator and solving a crime. This commitment, announced on 28 August, has been worked up and agreed by the Home Office, in tandem with the National Police Chiefs’ Council and College of Policing. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pursuing-all-reasonable-lines-of-enquiry-letter-to-police-leaders/pursuing-all-reasonable-lines-of-enquiry-letter-to-police-leadersFurthermore, the Home Secretary has made it clear she expects forces to work with partners across the justice system to see more criminals charged and prosecuted.To help ensure the police have the resources they need to fight crime and tackle anti-social behaviour, we have delivered on our commitment to recruit 20,000 additional police officers by the end of March this year. As of 31 March, a total of 20,947 additional officers had been recruited across England and Wales through the Police Uplift Programme, raising the number of police officers in England and Wales to 149,566, the highest number on record since comparable records began.

Asylum: Applications

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 18 September 2023 to Question 198491 on Asylum: Applications, how long the training lasts for newly recruited decision makers; who provides the training for newly recruited decision makers; and what steps she is taking to (a) provide support to new decision makers and (b) monitor the (i) quality and (ii) consistency of decision making.

Robert Jenrick: Asylum Operations provides staff with specialist training through a comprehensive programme of classroom-based learning and a mentoring framework as part of our plan for a highly skilled workforce. This is delivered by a dedicated team of senior grade trainers and higher-grade technical experts, thereby helping to maintain case-working expertise and improve decision maker capability.Work has been undertaken to review and redesign the training of Asylum decision makers. The focus of the project is to ensure that the right training is given at the right time. The expectation is that by moving to this model it will help decision makers become more productive in a quicker timeframe as the training will be more focused on the type of casework that they are assigned and the tasks they will need to undertake at that time.

Offensive Weapons: Sales

Mick Whitley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the prevalence of advertisements for the sale of items prohibited under the Offensive Weapons Act 2019 (a) on social media platforms and (b) by online retailers; and what steps she is taking to end the sale of those items.

Chris Philp: The UK has some of the toughest legislation in the world in relation to the sale of knives and offensive weapons. The sale and importation of a wide range of knives and other weapons are prohibited under the Restriction of Offensive Weapons Act 1959 and the Criminal Justice Act 1988. The Offensive Weapons Act 2019 extended these prohibitions to include possession in private. We will be banning ‘zombie style’ knives following our recent consultation on new knife legislation proposals to tackle the use of machetes and other bladed articles in crime. We will also be raising the maximum sentence for those who sell prohibited weapons to two years imprisonment.Despite this legislation we are aware of ongoing advertising of prohibited items on social media and by online retailers. To combat advertisements on social media, Schedule 7 of The Online Safety Bill (set to achieve Royal Assent (this Autumn) sets out a series of priority offences which include the sale of weapons. Companies, including online marketplaces, will need to take particularly robust action to prevent the proliferation of this content online and ensure that their services are not used for offending. This means companies will need to proactively mitigate the risk that their services are used for illegal activity or to share this illegal content, to design their services to mitigate the risk of this occurring and to remove any content that does appear as soon as they are made aware of it.

Neighbourhood Watch Schemes

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to support community neighbourhood watch groups.

Chris Philp: We value the work which local neighbourhood watch groups undertake.The Government works closely with Neighbourhood Watch, including providing it with £280,000 in funding per year to carry out its activities.

Police and Crime Commissioners

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of police and crime commissioners.

Chris Philp: In March 2022 we completed a two-part Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Review, delivering on the manifesto commitment to strengthen the accountability and expand the role of PCCs. The package of reforms proposed by the review cement PCCs as strong, visible leaders in the fight against crime, making sure they have the legitimacy and tools to hold their forces to account. They also establish the foundations for a greater PCC role in offender management, improve their levers in local partnerships and increase access to criminal justice data.Working closely with our partners, including the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC), we have already delivered a number of the Review’s recommendations. We are delivering outstanding recommendations as soon as possible; those that require primary legislation will be taken forward when Parliamentary time allows.

Firearms: Licensing

Alexander Stafford: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many responses her Department has received to its consultation entitled Firearms licensing: a consultation on recommendations for changes made to the Home Office, which closed on 23 August 2023.

Chris Philp: We will be publishing the Government response shortly to the consultation paper ‘Firearms Licensing: a consultation on recommendations for changes made to the Home Office’, which was published by the Home Office on 29 June 2023.In the Government response, and the Written Ministerial Statement to be made when the response is published, we will provide a detailed account of the number of responses received. The Government response will also set out what action the Government intends to take following the consultation.

Rights of Accused

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance her Department issues on the right to anonymity of arrested individuals before charge.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to give a right of anonymity to people who are under investigation for a criminal offence and who have not been charged.

Chris Philp: The Authorised Professional Practice Guidance on media relations, issued by the College of Policing, already makes clear that the police will not name those arrested or suspected of a crime, save in exceptional circumstances where there is a legitimate policing purpose to do so.There are currently no plans to bring forward any legislative changes regarding pre-charge anonymity.

Refugees: Afghanistan

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the oral statement of 19 September 2023 by the Minister for Veterans Affairs, Official Report columns 1253 to 1255, how many Afghan families housed in bridging hotels before March 2023 moved into private accommodation without assistance from the Government.

Robert Jenrick: There is no published breakdown of the number of individuals who moved into private accommodation during the requested period. Transparency data has recently been released (published on 19 September 2023), following the end of bridging accommodation use. This provides a helpful overview of the best available operational data as of 31 August 2023, and can be viewed at: Afghan bridging hotel exit operational data - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Asylum

Conor McGinn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) hotel rooms and (b) similar accommodation are occupied by asylum seekers in St Helens.

Robert Jenrick: Data on the number of supported asylum seekers residing in St Helens (including in contingency hotels and other contingency accommodation) is published in table Asy_D11 here: Asylum and resettlement datasets - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

UK Border Force: Recruitment

Mark Logan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Border Force personnel have been recruited since January 2020.

Robert Jenrick: Staffing and financial figures for Border Force from 2021 to 2023 can be found at Home Office annual report and accounts: 2020 to 2023 - GOV.UK Home Office annual report and accounts: 2022 to 2023 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Asylum: Housing

Mike Amesbury: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an estimate of the number and proportion of people served with a seven-day notice to quit accommodation when section 95 support was ceased who were without alternative accommodation on leaving that accommodation in each of the last 12 months.

Robert Jenrick: The Home Office does not publish the information requested.

Young Offenders: Northern Ireland

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will hold discussions with the Police Service of Northern Ireland on tackling physical abuse between people under the age of 18 in Northern Ireland.

Miss Sarah Dines: Policing, including the response to physical abuse, is a  devolved matter for consideration by the Northern Ireland Executive. We are open to discussions with the Police Service of Northern Ireland to share knowledge on tackling physical abuse amongst young people.

Treasury

Motor Vehicles: Taxation

Mark Logan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will (a) lower fuel duty and (b) provide other additional support for motorists in the Autumn Statement 2023.

Gareth Davies: At Spring Budget 2023 the Government announced continued support for motorists by maintaining the rates of fuel duty at the levels set on 23 March 2022 for an additional 12 months, by extending the temporary 5p fuel duty cut and cancelling the planned inflation increase for 2023-24. This support is already available for longer than in many countries and represents around £10 billion over 2 years and £200 for the average car driver. The Government will continue to keep fuel duty rates and other motoring taxes under review. The Chancellor announces changes to taxes at fiscal events.

Electric Vehicles: Tax Allowances

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to introduce tax incentives to promote take up of electric vehicles.

Gareth Davies: The Government already uses the tax system to incentivise the uptake of electric vehicles. Currently, zero-emission vehicles pay no Vehicle Excise Duty and are exempt from the Expensive Car Supplement. Zero emission cars and vans also benefit from preferential Company Car Tax and Van Benefit Charge rates. At Autumn Statement, the Chancellor announced that from April 2025 electric cars, vans and motorcycles will begin to pay VED in the same way as petrol and diesel vehicles.

Mileage Allowances

Douglas Chapman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of Approved Mileage Allowance Payments in the context of trends in the level of oil prices.

Gareth Davies: Approved Mileage Allowance Payments (AMAPs) are used by employers to reimburse an employee’s expenses for business mileage in their private vehicle. AMAPs are intended to create administrative simplicity and certainty by using an average rate. As with all taxes and allowances, the Government keeps the AMAP rate under review. In considering changes to the AMAP rate, the Government has to balance the responsible management of public finances, which fund our essential public services with support for individuals.

Meat: Taxation

Charlotte Nichols: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the authored article entitled What the PM’s new approach to Net Zero means for you, published by the Prime Minister's Office on 20 September 2023, whether he had discussions with Cabinet colleagues on proposals for a tax on meat; and whether he planned to bring forward legislative proposals to implement such a tax before 20 September 2023.

Gareth Davies: The Prime Minister has confirmed a meat tax will not be introduced under this government.

Freezing of Assets: Russia

Luke Pollard: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what is the total value of Russian state sovereign wealth that has been frozen as a result of the UK's sanctions.

Gareth Davies: As stated in OFSI’s most recent Annual Review published in November 2022, between February and October 2022, £18.39 billion in frozen funds were reported to the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI), part of HM Treasury, in relation to persons designated under the Russia sanctions regime. This figure is provided in aggregate so as not to disclose the value of any funds held by particular individuals. HM Treasury does not break down reported assets in the manner requested. An updated value of frozen assets reported to OFSI will be published later this year, in OFSI’s 2022-2023 Annual Review.

National Infrastructure Commission: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much the National Infrastructure Commission spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Gareth Davies: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.

Energy: Taxation

Martyn Day: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing (a) tax incentives and (b) rebates to wholesale sector distributors to help increase (i) investment in renewable energy projects and (ii) recharging and refueling infrastructure.

Gareth Davies: A wholesale distributor incurring qualifying expenditure on plant or machinery could be eligible for full expensing, a 100% first-year allowance available for expenditure incurred before 1 April 2026. Investments in renewable energy projects and recharging and refuelling infrastructure could be eligible for full expensing, depending on the nature of the expenditure. There is a factsheet about full expensing available on gov.uk: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/full-expensing/spring-budget-2023-full-expensing. In addition, there are targeted 100% first-year allowances for qualifying expenditure on plant or machinery for electric vehicle charging points and gas refuelling stations, which could be claimed if full expensing was not available. These first-year allowances are available until April 2025. More broadly, the UK has been a global front-runner in supporting provision of charging infrastructure along with private sector investment.  The Government have spent over £2 billion to support the transition to zero emission vehicles. This funding has focused on reducing barriers to the adoption of such vehicles, including accelerating the rollout of chargepoint infrastructure.  The UK is also a world leader in the decarbonisation of the electricity system, having reduced emissions by 70% since 2010. The Government is supporting renewables deployment through a range of policy levers, including the Contracts for Difference (CfD) scheme. Since launching the scheme in 2014, contracts totalling over 30GW of new renewable capacity have been awarded, including around 20GW of offshore wind.

Treasury: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much their Department spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-2023 financial year.

Gareth Davies: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.

Boats: Red Diesel

Julian Knight: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the implications for his Department's policies of the judgment by the Court of Justice of the European Union in Commission v United Kingdom (Fiscal marking of gas oil) on 28 September 2023.

Gareth Davies: This case concerns rules on markers used to distinguish rebated fuel used in private pleasure craft (PPC), which began at a time when the UK was an EU member state. The fine of €32m is disappointing because the original 2018 judgment ruling that the UK was in contravention of the EU Fiscal Marking Directive was implemented as quickly as possible given the UK’s unique circumstances. The UK is a nation that honours its obligations, and we will meet our obligations under the Withdrawal Agreement. From 1 October 2021, diesel-powered PPC in Northern Ireland have not been permitted to refuel with rebated (‘red’) diesel. Alongside this change, the government introduced a relief scheme to cover diesel used for non-propulsion purposes (e.g. heating and lighting the boat). This concluded the UK’s implementation of the 2018 judgment of the CJEU.

Government Internal Audit Agency: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much the Government Internal Audit Agency spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Gareth Davies: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.

UK Asset Resolution: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much UK Asset Resolution Limited spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Gareth Davies: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.

Alcoholic Drinks: Excise Duties

Abena Oppong-Asare: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the level of alcohol duty on the financial viability of pubs.

Gareth Davies: The Government publishes tax information and impact notes (TIINs) for tax policy changes when the policy is final or near final. The summary of impacts from the latest changes to alcohol duty at Spring Budget 2023 can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/increase-in-alcohol-duty-rates/alcohol-duty-uprating

Hospitality Industry and Tourism

Dr Neil Hudson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to support the hospitality and tourism sectors.

Victoria Atkins: The Government believes that pubs make an important contribution to our culture, fostering a sense of place and community, and to the UK economy. The Government is aware that the high street faces long-term challenges and is committed to supporting the businesses that make our high streets and town centres successful. Therefore, at Autumn Statement 2022, the Government announced a package of support worth £13.6 billion over the next five years, including:a freeze to the business rates multiplier for 2023-24, a tax cut worth £9.3 billion over the next 5 years, meaning all bills are 6% lower than without the freeze;an increased 75% relief for retail, hospitality and leisure properties including pubs, up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business for 2023-24. This is a tax cut worth over £2 billion for around 230,000 RHL businesses, to support the high street and protect small shops. Furthermore, to support pubs, our 'Brexit Pubs Guarantee,' confirms that the duty on a draught pint will always be lower than its equivalent in a supermarket. And the new alcohol duty system implemented in August of this year included a new Draught Relief that provides a significant duty discount on beers below 8.5% alcohol by volume (ABV) sold in containers of 20 litres or more in the on-trade. The Community Ownership Fund has awarded £49.3 million to 195 projects across the UK, including rural pubs, with £35 million allocated to 131 projects across England, £6.2 million allocated to 28 projects in Scotland, £4 million to 18 projects in Wales and £4.1 million to 18 projects in Northern Ireland. The Government keeps all taxes under review.

Taxis: VAT

Daniel Zeichner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the application of VAT to taxis and licensed minicabs journeys on minicab businesses operating in remote areas.

Victoria Atkins: The VAT rules for mini cab services and taxis remain unchanged. Fares have always been subject to VAT when provided by a VAT registered business who is providing those services as principal. The Government is carefully considering the potential impact the Uber Britannia Limited v Sefton Borough Council (2023) EWHC 1975 case will have on the sector as a whole, including customers that live in remote areas.

Taxis: VAT

Daniel Zeichner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the application of VAT to taxis and licensed minicab journeys on vulnerable people who need to use taxis and private-hire vehicles.

Victoria Atkins: The VAT rules for mini cab services and taxis remain unchanged. Fares have always been subject to VAT when provided by a VAT registered business who is providing those services as principal. The Government is carefully considering the potential impact the Uber Britannia Limited v Sefton Borough Council (2023) EWHC 1975 case will have on the sector as a whole, including passengers.

Taxis: VAT

Daniel Zeichner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies on VAT of the High Court judgment of 28 July 2023 in Uber Britannia Limited v Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council; and if he will make a statement.

Victoria Atkins: This High Court ruling is not a tax case and does not have a direct bearing on any business’s tax position. The VAT rules, which apply to all businesses, have not changed. The Government is carefully considering the implications of the ruling for the sector and passengers.

Taxis: VAT

Daniel Zeichner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the judgment in the case of Uber Britannia Limited v Sefton Borough Council [2023] EWHC 1975 (KB), what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of that judgment on the application of VAT on taxi fares.

Victoria Atkins: The Uber Britannia Limited v Sefton Borough Council [2023] EWHC 1975 judgment does not apply to taxis, it only applies to Private Hire Vehicle Operator (PHVO) services.The VAT rules remain unchanged for PHVO fares. Fares have always been subject to VAT when provided by a VAT registered business who is providing those services as principal. The Government is carefully considering the impact this will have on the sector and passengers.

National Savings and Investments: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much NS and I spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Andrew Griffith: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn. Further information on NS and I can be found in its annual report here: https://nsandi-corporate.com/performance/annual-reports.

Reclaim Fund: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much the Reclaim Fund Ltd spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Andrew Griffith: Reclaim Fund Ltd is funded through investment income and does not rely on any taxpayer funding for its operation, including training. Further information on Reclaim Fund Ltd can be found in its annual report here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reclaim-fund-ltd-annual-report-and-accounts-202223.

Royal Mint: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much the Royal Mint spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Andrew Griffith: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn. Further information on the Royal Mint can be found in its annual report here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/royal-mint-trading-fund-annual-report-and-accounts-2022-to-2023.

Royal Mint Advisory Committee: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much the Royal Mint Advisory Committee spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Andrew Griffith: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn. Further information on the Royal Mint can be found in its annual report here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/royal-mint-trading-fund-annual-report-and-accounts-2022-to-2023.

UK Government Investments: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much UK Government Investments spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Andrew Griffith: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn. Further information on UK Government Investments can be found in its annual report here: https://www.ukgi.org.uk/2023/07/18/uk-government-investments-annual-report-and-accounts-2022-23-2/.

UK Infrastructure Bank: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much the UK Infrastructure Bank spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Andrew Griffith: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn. Further information on UKIB can be found in its annual report here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-infrastructure-bank-annual-report-and-accounts-2021-22. The next annual report will be published imminently.

Pension Protection Fund: Taxation

Sir Stephen Timms: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether money a person receives from their pension scheme via the Fraud Compensation Fund is taxable; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Griffith: The Fraud Compensation Fund pays compensation to pension scheme administrators or trustees, who then provide benefits to members. Those benefits will be taxed like any other pension benefits. An individual pays income tax if their total annual income is more than their Income Tax Personal Allowance which is currently £12,570. Where an individual has income above the Personal Allowance, payments of pension (including pension benefits arising from a compensation payment) is subject to income tax, which is collected through Pay As You Earn.

Insurance Companies

Drew Hendry: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department has had recent discussions with the Competition and Market Authority on the use of exclusive jurisdiction clauses by insurance companies.

Andrew Griffith: Insurers make commercial decisions about the terms on which they will offer cover following an assessment of the relevant risks. The Government does not intend to intervene in these commercial decisions by insurers as this could damage competition in the market. However, insurers must treat customers fairly and are required to do so under the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) rules. The FCA is an independent body responsible for regulating and supervising the financial services industry, including insurance firms. The FCA, as the independent regulator, also has a statutory objective to promote effective competition in the interests of consumers. The FCA work towards that objective, as far as the work is compatible with advancing their other objectives.

Revenue and Customs: Remote Working

Saqib Bhatti: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of trends in the number of staff in HMRC working from home on the (a) average time taken to process cases and (b) quality of service provision.

Victoria Atkins: HMRC takes the quality of customer service very seriously. HMRC’s approach to hybrid working is in line with many private and public sector organisations. HMRC’s workforce plan includes the effective use of hybrid working where this meets business needs; staff are held to the same standards if they are working from an HMRC building or from home. On average, HMRC advisers answer the same number of calls whether they are in the office or at home and process more customer correspondence when working from home. HMRC constantly monitor call volumes to ensure they deploy available staff where they need them. They use a flexible workforce model, where staff may switch between answering phone calls, processing correspondence, and replying to webchat enquiries throughout the day as needed.

Taxis: VAT

Daniel Zeichner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of applying a 0% VAT rate for licensed minicab operator journeys.

Victoria Atkins: VAT has been designed as a broad-based tax on consumption, and the twenty per cent standard rate applies to many goods and services. VAT at the standard rate has always applied to the provision of licensed minicab services when supplied by VAT registered businesses. While there are exceptions to the standard rate, these have always been strictly limited by both legal and fiscal considerations.

Corporation Tax: Tax Rates and Bands

Jim Shannon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has made an estimate of the number of large businesses paying into the highest bracket of corporation tax in calendar years (a) 2022 and (b) 2023.

Victoria Atkins: When the Corporation Tax rate change was announced at Budget 2021 it was estimated that around 200,000 companies would pay the 25% rate. https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/budget-speech-2021Estimates of actual numbers paying the main rate will be published once data is available.

Government Actuary's Department: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much the Government Actuary's Department spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Victoria Atkins: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service. The audit will coincide with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.

Revenue and Customs: Employment Tribunals Service

Sir Graham Brady: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many employment tribunal cases have been held involving HMRC staff in each of the last five years; and if he will provide a breakdown by type of dispute heard for each of those years.

Victoria Atkins: HMRC's Raising and Resolving Concerns and Upholding our Standards of Conduct guidance aligns to the ACAS codes of practice. However, there will always be occasions where employees and ex-employees are dissatisfied with the outcome of the process. Individuals have the right to submit a claim to an Employment Tribunal where the merits of the case will be considered. HMRC will consider whether to defend the claim. However, if based on legal advice our chances of successfully defending a claim appear to be limited then HMRC will negotiate with the individuals’ legal representatives and aim to reach a settlement that provides value for money and protects the public purse. In all cases any settlement is in line with HMT’s Managing Public Money guidance. If HMRC is unable to reach a settlement, then the case will proceed to a full hearing before the Tribunal.A hearing is held in a public forum and the outcome is freely available to members of the public and media via the Gov.uk site. In the last 5 financial years HMRC has received an average of 149 Employment Tribunal cases per year.

Sanitary Protection: VAT Zero Rating

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 16 May 2023 to Question 183901 on Sanitary Protection: VAT, what steps his Department is taking to ascertain whether the savings of zero-rating VAT on period products are being passed on from retailers to consumers.

Victoria Atkins: As per my answer to Question 183901, the Government is looking into whether this important zero-rating is being passed on by retailers to women as intended. The Government keeps all taxes and reliefs under continuous review, considering a range of evidence, including data and research on factors like pricing, when assessing the effects of changes to the tax system. While the Government does not control prices, a VAT relief is able to contribute to the conditions for price reductions, and the Government continues to monitor the effects of this relief to aid the policymaking process. HMT and HMRC work closely together to integrate the findings of their monitoring and evaluation processes into future tax relief policy.

Cars: Northern Ireland

Claire Hanna: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the replacement of the VAT margin scheme on small car dealerships.

Claire Hanna: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Answer of 14 January 2021 to Question 134263 on UK Internal Trade: Northern Ireland, what recent discussions he has had with the European Commission on the VAT Margin Scheme.

Victoria Atkins: In order to provide certainty for businesses and to continue to support the Northern Ireland second-hand car market, the Government introduced the Second-Hand Motor Vehicle Payment Scheme on 1 May 2023. The scheme ensures that for cars moved after May 1 2023, businesses selling in NI will pay the same net amount of VAT as if they had continued access to the VAT margin scheme for these cars. The Government is regularly engaging collaboratively with the EU as we implement the Windsor Framework.

Adjudicator's Office: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much the the Adjudicator’s Office spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Victoria Atkins: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service. The audit will coincide with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.

Office for Nuclear Regulation: Finance

Alison McGovern: To ask the Chancellor for the Exchequer, what happens to money from the public purse not spent by the Office for Nuclear Radiation when there is budgetary underspend.

John Glen: The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) operates a charging model which enables them to receive the majority of its funding through charges to industry clients. A proportion of ONR funding is provided by the Exchequer, via the Department for Work and Pensions as the ONR sponsorship department. Any resources, capital or cash authorised in the Supply Estimates but not used by the ONR at the end of a financial year are no longer authorised for use. Where the ONR has drawn down unspent cash from the Consolidated Fund, this will be immediately surrenderable back to the Fund.

Business: Coronavirus

Julian Knight: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to recover funding awarded fraudulently through the Government's pandemic support schemes.

John Glen: Our Covid-19 interventions helped millions of people and businesses through the worst effects of the pandemic. The Government prioritised getting money to those who needed it, with the schemes designed to minimise fraud while not unnecessarily delaying payments. The Government has created the Public Sector Fraud Authority (PSFA), with £24.7 million of new funding in the current SR period to support public bodies and departments to better understand and reduce the impact of fraud. The Government also invested over £100 million over two years in the Taxpayer Protection Taskforce to combat fraud in the HMRC support schemes. Up to the end of September, HMRC has recovered overpayments or prevented payments being made of claims worth over £1.6 billion. HMRC is still committed to the recovery of Covid-19 support scheme error and fraud. The Government is also committed to bearing down on fraud in the Covid Loan Schemes. £13.2 million has been allocated to the National Investigation Service over three years to double their investigative capacity on Bounce Back Loans and fund enforcement activity. £10.9 million has been allocated to the British Business Bank over three years to boost their counter fraud and assurance programme.

Financial Ombudsman Service

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what information his Department holds on how many and what proportion of the staff of the Financial Ombudsman Service are members of the (a) Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, (b) Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, (c) Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, (d) Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland and (e) Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.

Andrew Griffith: The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) is operationally independent from the Government. Detailed questions about operational matters are for the FOS to respond to. These questions have been passed to the FOS, which will respond to the honourable member by letter.

Payment Methods

Saqib Bhatti: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of cash deposit regulations in the Financial Services and Markets Act 2023 on (a) the ability of SMEs to accept cash payments and (b) people who experience difficulty in conducting transactions via means other than cash.

Andrew Griffith: The government recognises that cash continues to be used by millions of people across the UK, including those who may be in vulnerable groups. Furthermore, businesses need access to cash deposit services in order to keep accepting cash and, therefore, support people’s ability to continue to transact using cash. The government legislated through the Financial Services and Markets Act 2023 to establish a new legislative framework to protect access to cash. This establishes the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) as the lead regulator for access to cash and provides it with responsibility and powers to seek to ensure reasonable provision of cash withdrawal and deposit facilities. The government considers that this legislation will support organisations, including local businesses, to continue accepting cash by ensuring that they have reasonable access to cash deposit facilities. Following the passage of this legislation, the government published a Cash Access Policy Statement, which sets out the government’s policies on access to cash. The FCA is required by law to have regard to these policies when determining its regulatory approach in this area. The FCA will publicly consult on its regulatory approach in due course. The government’s policy statement is available on gov.uk: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cash-access-policy-statement/cash-access-policy-statement

Consumer Goods: Credit

Martyn Day: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has made an estimate of the number of consumers that are using Buy Now Pay Later products to purchase essential items in the last 12 months.

Andrew Griffith: HM Treasury regularly monitors the consumer credit market as part of its normal process of policy development. Buy-Now Pay-Later (BNPL) is an interest-free product which gives consumers a time-limited means of spreading payments for their purchases. When used responsibly and provided affordably it can be a helpful way for consumers to manage their finances and make purchases. Many consumers are attracted to BNPL because of its interest-free nature, which the Government considers makes it inherently lower risk than most other types of credit. The FCA’s most recent Financial Lives survey found that 46% of people of who had used BNPL in the past 12 months used it because it was interest-free. As such, BNPL represents a popular alternative to traditional, interest-bearing forms of credit like credit cards and personal loans. For some financially vulnerable consumers it may also provide an alternative to high-cost and illegal lending. According to the FCA’s most recent Financial Lives survey, nearly 9 million adults in the UK have used BNPL in the past 12 months, and the average user had £160 outstanding across their BNPL purchases. HM Treasury does not hold precise information on the number of consumers using Buy-Now Pay-Later (BNPL) products to purchase essential items in the last 12 months. Instead, it draws on the research of various stakeholders, including consumer groups and the wider financial services industry, to inform policy development.

Insurance: Misrepresentation

Drew Hendry: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department has had discussions with the Financial Conduct Authority on the level of fees charged by companies for supporting people with claims relating to payment protection insurance.

Andrew Griffith: Treasury ministers and officials have regular engagement with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous administrations, it is not the Government’s practice to provide details of all such meetings. Claims Management Companies supporting any remaining payment protection insurance (PPI) claims remain subject to a 20 per cent fee cap, as set in the Financial Guidance and Claims Act 2018. Further information on this PPI fee cap can be found in the FCA handbook, Section 5.1 of the Claims Management: Conduct of Business sourcebook.

Sports: VAT

Darren Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of reducing the level of VAT applied to children’s (a) swimming lessons and (b) other sports.

Victoria Atkins: VAT has been designed as a broad-based tax on consumption, and the twenty per cent standard rate applies to the majority of goods and services. While there are exceptions to the standard rate, these have always been strictly limited by both legal and fiscal considerations; one exception being certain supplies of education, which are generally exempt from VAT when certain conditions are met. VAT is the UK’s third largest tax forecast to raise £161 billion in 2022/23, helping to fund key spending priorities such as important public services, including the NHS, education and defence. Nevertheless, the Government keeps all taxes under review.

Taxation: Disclosure of Information

Julian Knight: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 18 September 2023 to Question 196647 on Taxation: Disclosure of Information, how much His Majesty's Revenue and Customs spent on ex gratia payments to whistle-blowers in the 2022-2023 financial year.

Victoria Atkins: There are times when it is appropriate for HMRC to make payments to individuals in return for providing information that helps tackle tax avoidance and evasion. Such payments are discretionary and are based on the quality of the information provided, the extent and value to which the information contributed to HMRC assigned matters, and what is achieved as a result.

Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

Mobile Phones: Standards

Fleur Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to help improve mobile phone coverage in (a) London and (b) England.

Fleur Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she has had recent discussions with mobile phone operators on improving mobile reception in (a) London and (b) England.

Sir John Whittingdale: This Government is taking steps to improve both 4G and 5G coverage across the country. Improvements in 4G coverage have already started to be delivered across England through the Shared Rural Network (SRN) programme. This agreement will see the government and industry jointly invest over £1 billion to increase 4G mobile coverage across the UK to 95%. London already has good 4G and, as with other cities, will not be targeted by the SRN programme. However, in addition to the SRN, the mobile network operators independently invest around £2 billion annually in enhancing and improving their networks. In our Wireless Infrastructure Strategy, published in April this year, we set out the Government’s vision for wireless connectivity and shared a new ambition for nationwide coverage of standalone 5G in all populated areas by 2030. This provides a long-term vision to help the private sector invest in 5G networks by supporting competition, driving down deployment costs and driving the take-up of innovative, 5G-enabled tech by the business and public sectors. The Department provides extensive guidance for local authorities and operators to help facilitate broadband deployment through the Digital Connectivity Portal. We have also taken steps to make it easier and cheaper for operators to deploy 4G and 5G. This includes reforming the planning system in England. Alongside this, measures within the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022, will support upgrades of sites to 5G.

Artificial Intelligence: Genomics

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment the Government has made of the potential impact of the Chinese state's activity relating to genomics on national security; and whether that matter will be discussed at the UK AI safety summit scheduled for November 2023.

Paul Scully: The Government does not comment on specific details of national security assessments. The AI Safety Summit will focus on safety risks in ‘frontier’ AI which includes issues of emerging importance such as biosecurity and genomics. During the first day of the AI Safety Summit, there will be a roundtable discussion on the Risks to Global Safety from Frontier AI Misuse where safety risks to biosecurity will be discussed.

Semiconductors

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps have been taken to ensure that the UK Semiconductor Advisory Panel is broadly representative of the sector across the UK.

Paul Scully: The Semiconductor Advisory Panel is representative of the UK’s semiconductor industry, and the ecosystem that supports it. In selecting the panel, consideration was given to representation across UK specialisms in design, compound semiconductors and R&D, company size and geographic location. In an independent capacity, the panel includes senior figures from British industry leaders such as ARM, IQE and PragmatIC, as well as experts in venture capital, research and skills development. We’re confident that we have the right mix of talent to represent the breadth of the UK’s industry and help drive our strategy forward. We continue to speak with the full spectrum of the UK’s semiconductor industry, including regular engagement with companies and representatives from across the UK.

Broadcasting: Radio Frequencies

Gavin Newlands: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will make it her policy to support a no change position on spectrum allocation at this year’s World Radiocommunications Conference.

Sir John Whittingdale: In preparing for the forthcoming ITU World Radiocommunications Conference (WRC), the government has worked extensively with Ofcom and with spectrum users to ensure the UK promotes the best interests of the UK. The WRC works on consensus, so compromise is expected in order to reach a conclusion all parties can sign up to. However, we will strongly resist any positions we believe undermine the UK’s objectives and will exercise our right to manage our domestic spectrum allocation where appropriate. We will work with international partners, especially within the European regional group, to ensure protection for the continuation of the Digital Terrestrial Television (Freeview) platform and where the UK has the maximum flexibility to make long-term changes to domestic use of this spectrum band without needing to have regard to the spectrum priorities of neighbouring countries. We will only support changes to the Radio Regulations that are consistent with this.

Mobile Phones: Fees and Charges

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, when Ofcom's review into the transparency of in-contract price rises is due to be published.

Sir John Whittingdale: Ofcom has stated it expects to publish its review into the transparency of inflation-linked in-contract price rises - alongside research on customers’ experience of price rise contract terms, and consult on any changes that may be needed to their rules - in December 2023.

Building Digital UK: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much the Building Digital UK spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Sir John Whittingdale: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.

Phone-paid Services Authority: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much the Phone-paid Services Authority spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Sir John Whittingdale: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service.The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.

Information Commissioner's Office: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much the Information Commissioner's Office spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Sir John Whittingdale: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.

Copyright Tribunal: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much the Copyright Tribunal spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much the Intellectual Property Office spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Paul Scully: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.

British Technology Investments: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much the British Technology Investments Ltd spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Paul Scully: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.

Members: Correspondence

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, when she plans to respond to the email of 12 May 2023 from the Hon. member for Sefton Central, Case reference BE 1233, on fake reviews of businesses.

Paul Scully: The Department attaches great importance to the timely processing of all correspondence. Making the most of the opportunities presented by the formation of a new department, the new team is working to maximise efficiency and innovation. Performance is regularly reviewed to ensure response times and backlogs are being actively managed. We apologise for the exceptional delay in replying to this case and will respond as a matter of urgency

Artificial Intelligence: Genomics

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will take steps to include the potential impact of the Chinese state’s activity relating to genomics on national security in any international framework that is developed at the UK AI safety summit in November 2023.

Paul Scully: The Government does not comment on specific details of national security assessments. The Summit will aim to develop a forward process on how to support national and international frameworks on AI safety which include emerging issues such as biosecurity and cybersecurity, including from the potential misuse of models by non-state actors.

Social Media: Artificial Intelligence

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of AI social media usage on people under the age of 18.

Paul Scully: The Online Safety Bill has now finished its parliamentary passage and will receive Royal Assent in the coming weeks. The Bill will ensure that technology companies take more responsibility for the safety of their users, particularly children. It has been designed to be tech-neutral to keep pace with emerging technology. The Bill will tackle harmful AI generated content on user-to-user services when that content is placed on the service by a user, or if an AI bot is itself placed on a service by a user and interacts with other users. In addition, the forthcoming AI Safety Summit and the work of the Foundation Model Taskforce will focus on risks created or significantly exacerbated by the most powerful AI systems, especially where they pose a threat to the most vulnerable in our society, such as children. It will draw on a range of perspectives both prior to and at the event itself to inform these discussions.

Semiconductors: Infrastructure

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what plans she has for the National Semiconductor Infrastructure Initiative to encompass all regions and nations of the UK.

Paul Scully: The UK Semiconductor Infrastructure Initiative feasibility study is being conducted by a consortium of industry and academic partners led by the Institute for Manufacturing at Cambridge University and will provide recommendations on how to improve access to R&D infrastructure to boost innovation and growth in the UK semiconductor sector. The study has consulted extensively across the sector and workshops have been held in all four nations of the UK to determine a holistic picture of the UK’s capabilities and the needs of industry.

Department for Science, Innovation and Technology: Artificial Intelligence

Peter Kyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many artificial intelligence researchers work in her Department.

Paul Scully: The Department currently has 14 researchers as part of the Frontier AI Taskforce but intends increase that number. The Frontier AI Taskforce was launched by the Prime Minister in June to build an AI research team inside government that can evaluate risk at the frontier of AI.

Artificial Intelligence: Genomics

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether the use of artificial intelligence (AI) within the field of genomics will form part of the agenda at the upcoming AI Summit in November 2023.

Paul Scully: The UK Summit will focus on frontier AI risks, which includes risks from frontier AI models to biosecurity (and within that, genomics), which are increasingly urgent to address at an international level. The Government is also undertaking a full programme of work to assess how we can minimise the risks from biological data and protect our burgeoning bioeconomy.

Artificial Intelligence: BGI Group

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether representatives of (a) BGI Group, (b) subsidiaries of BGI Group and (c) companies in which BGI Group has invested have been invited to attend the UK AI safety summit scheduled to take place in November 2023.

Paul Scully: To ensure the AI Safety Summit can achieve its objectives, it is necessary to have a small but international discussion at the event. This will limit the participants to around 100, including world leaders and companies at the cutting edge of frontier AI. The UK has actively considered national security in decision making to ensure that the partnerships and invitees are aligned with our National Security interests. Further information about invitees will be made available in due course.

Semiconductors: Manufacturing Industries

Mary Kelly Foy: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the National Semiconductor Strategy published in May 2023, if she will provide funding in the forthcoming Autumn Statement to support non-silicon semiconductor manufacturing including flexible circuits.

Paul Scully: The National Semiconductor Strategy sets out the government’s plan to build on the UK’s strengths to grow our sector, increase our resilience and protect our security. We will announce plans by the autumn to further support the competitiveness of the semiconductor manufacturing sector that is critical to the UK tech ecosystem or our national security. We have engaged extensively with industry including with the new Semiconductor Advisory Panel to inform our approach.

Department of Health and Social Care

Mortality Rates

Ben Lake: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 11 January 2023 to Question 117873 on Mortality Rates, whether a detailed assessment is now available on factors that contributed to ONS data showing that excess deaths in England and Wales were higher than the five-year average in September, October and November 2022; and if he will make a statement.

Neil O'Brien: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Liver Diseases: Screening

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the letter of 7 March 2023 from the then Minister for Social Care to the Chief Executive of the British Liver Trust, whether it remains his policy that fibroscans will be in use at 100 community diagnostic centres by March 2025; how many fibroscans have been delivered to community diagnostic centres since March 2023; and whether he has considered the potential merits of setting a new target.

Will Quince: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Pharmacy: Prescriptions

Wes Streeting: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of prescriptions were written by pharmacists in each of the last five years.

Will Quince: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Social Services: Vacancies

Wes Streeting: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the number of vacancies in the social care sector in each of the past 12 months.

Helen Whately: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Surgery: Waiting Lists

Wes Streeting: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many unique users accessed the My Planned Care platform in each of the last 12 months.

Will Quince: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Radiology: Telemedicine

Wes Streeting: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of NHS radiologists also conducted scans for external teleradiology companies in each of the last three years.

Will Quince: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Diabetes and Obesity

Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many hospital admissions were due to issues relating to obesity and diabetes in (a) 2019-20, (b) 2020-21, (c) 2021-22 and (d) 2022-23; and what steps he is taking to reduce the number of these admissions.

Helen Whately: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Prisoners: Speech and Language Disorders

Dr Rosena Allin-Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what data his Department holds on the number and proportion of inmates who have a stammer in prisons in England and Wales.

Maria Caulfield: The data requested is not held centrally.

Prisoners: Speech and Language Therapy

Dr Rosena Allin-Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many inmates have (a) been assessed by and (b) received therapy from a speech and language therapist in each prison in England and Wales in each year since 2010.

Maria Caulfield: This information is not collected centrally.

Prisons: Speech and Language Therapy

Dr Rosena Allin-Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many speech and language therapists work in each prison in England and Wales as of 13 October 2023.

Maria Caulfield: Some prisons may have speech and language therapists in post while others may be brought in as required, however this data is not held centrally. People in prison are entitled to the same standard and range of health and social care services as they would receive in the community.

Eating Disorders

Rebecca Long Bailey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to make financial support available for patients with (a) avoidant restrictive food intake disorder and (b) other eating disorders to help with the cost of living.

Maria Caulfield: We have no plans to do so. Information on the support available to help with the cost of living is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/cost-of-living We have increased investment in children and young people's community eating disorder services every year, with this funding growing by £54 million in 2023/24. Over the five years from 2019/20, we will have also invested an extra £1 billion in community mental health care for adults with severe mental illness, including eating disorders, giving 370,000 more adults greater choice and control over their care and supporting them to live well in their communities.

Research: Viral Diseases

Sir Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has taken recent steps to help tackle the growth of (a) gain-of-function research and (b) any other research that modifies a virus or other pathogen to make it more transmissible, virulent and pathogenic in (i) the UK and (ii) other countries; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Caulfield: The United Kingdom has extensive legislative controls to ensure the safety and security of biological research into human, animal and plant pathogens. All life sciences companies operating in the UK must adhere to UK ethics standards, research codes of conduct and associated legal obligations.

Care Workers: Conditions of Employment

Simon Jupp: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an estimate of the annual cost of moving social care workers onto a single contract and set of terms and conditions.

Helen Whately: There are no current plans to make an estimate.Most care workers are employed by private sector providers who set their pay and terms and conditions, independent of central Government.In ‘Next steps to put People at the Heart of Care’, we announced our intention to launch a new Care Workforce Pathway for Adult Social Care, which will support development and provide a career structure to the workforce.

Hospital Beds

Afzal Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of setting a target for hospitals to not exceed 85 per cent occupancy levels.

Helen Whately: Our Delivery plan for recovering urgent and emergency care sets a performance ambition to improve accident and emergency wait times to 76% of patients being admitted, transferred, or discharged within four hours by March 2024, rather than a bed occupancy level ambition.National Health Service trusts are operationally responsible for managing bed occupancy and patient flow as part of delivering improved performance against this ambition. Our plan commits to delivering 5,000 additional beds to the permanent bed base this winter, which supports NHS capacity and occupancy pressures.

Accident and Emergency Departments

Dan Carden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that 76% of patients are admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours in A&Es by March 2024.

Helen Whately: Under our Delivery plan to recover urgent and emergency care services, we are taking a range of measures to improve patient flow through hospital and reduce waiting times in accident and emergency. These include the delivery of 5,000 more staffed, permanent beds this year compared to 2022/23 plans, supported by £1 billion of dedicated funding. This is alongside a further £1.6 billion of funding for social care to reduce the numbers of beds occupied by patients ready to be discharged. We are also improving hospital discharge processes by establishing ‘Care transfer hubs’ in every hospital ahead of next winter, alongside new approaches to step-down care to free up bed capacity for those who need it. We are also scaling up the use of virtual wards by an additional 3,000 beds, with over 10,000 beds now available nationally.

Accident and Emergency Departments

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to commission an independent evaluation of the delivery plan for the recovery of the urgent and emergency care system.

Helen Whately: NHS England are developing ongoing plans for evaluating the initiatives in the recovery plan.

Dementia: Diagnosis

Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to reduce regional variation in the dementia diagnosis rate.

Helen Whately: The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities’ Dementia Intelligence Network has been commissioned by NHS England to develop a resource to support investigation of the underlying variation in dementia diagnosis rates. The aim of this work is to provide context for variation and enable targeted investigation and provision of support at a local level to enhance diagnosis rates. The tool has been released and is available via the NHS Futures Collaboration platform.

Care Homes: Cleaning Services

Derek Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of directing the Care Quality Commission to assess the adequacy of care home laundry hygiene standards.

Helen Whately: The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator of health and social care providers in England. The CQC’s fundamental standard for premises and equipment, under Regulation 15 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, requires ancillary services, such as laundry rooms, to be maintained in line with the fundamental standard. People using the service and staff using the equipment should be trained to use it or be supervised and/or risk assessed as necessary.Where a health and care provider does not comply with Regulation 15, the CQC can take regulatory action.

Members: Correspondence

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to respond to the email of 27 July 2023 from the Hon. member for Sefton Central, Case reference BE12979, on the use of medical equipment in people's homes.

Helen Whately: We have received the Hon. Member’s correspondence and will reply as soon as possible.

Dementia: Clinics

Martyn Day: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policies of the recommendation on introducing a network of brain health clinics in the report by Alzheimer’s Research UK entitled Tipping Point: The Future of Dementia, published in September 2023.

Helen Whately: The Government is strongly committed to supporting research into dementia. Through partnerships with patients, researchers, funders, and charities we continue to play a significant role in global efforts against the disease.NHS England has read Alzheimer’s Research UK’s report with great interest and had already been aware, through partnership discussions, of the suggestion outlined in the report to introduce a network of new brain health clinics to work alongside existing dementia services. This is a model that NHS England, and local leaders within integrated care boards, will be able to consider if, for example, new disease modifying treatments for use in early Alzheimer’s disease are licensed and recommended by NICE for routine adoption within the National Health Service.

Palliative Care

Dr Rupa Huq: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he is taking steps to increase funding for palliative care services.

Helen Whately: Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for determining the level of National Health Service-funded palliative and end of life care, including hospice care, locally, and they are responsible for ensuring that the services they commission meet the needs of their local population.While the NHS has always been required to commission appropriate palliative and end of life care services to meet the reasonable needs of the population, as part of the Health and Care Act 2022, the Government added palliative care services to the list of services an ICB must commission, to clarify this responsibility.

Palliative Care

Peter Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of assessing the nation's palliative care needs in the context of the obligation on Integrated Care Boards to commission such care.

Helen Whately: We have not made an assessment. Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning healthcare services which meet the needs of the people for whom they are responsible, including palliative and end of life care needs. NHS England formally oversees ICBs and has a legal duty to annually assess and publish the performance of each ICB. In addition, the Care Quality Commission system assessments provide an independent assurance to the public and Parliament. NHS England has also begun analysis of the recently submitted ICB Joint Forward Plans against the legal statutory duty to commission services that meet the palliative and end of life care needs of their local populations. This analysis will be used internally to help focus support to ICBs in the implementation of their statutory duty under the Health and Care Act 2022, and will also enable identification of where more targeted support is required.

Care Workers: Zero-hours Contracts

Wes Streeting: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the number of care workers on zero-hours contracts.

Helen Whately: The Department has made no estimate. However, we commission Skills for Care to provide information and intelligence on adult social care providers and their workforce. Skills for Care report that 32% of care workers were on zero-hours contracts in 2022/23.

Hospices: Children

Sarah Owen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Children and Young People’s Hospice Grant for 2024-25 will be ring-fenced.

Helen Whately: In June 2023, NHS England confirmed that it would be renewing the Children and Young People’s Hospice Grant for 2024/25, once again allocating £25 million grant funding for children’s hospices in England. NHS England will communicate further details regarding the process for the grant allocations later this year.

Hospitals: Discharges

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to (a) discharge patients from hospitals and (b) reduce the number of patients in hospital who do not meet residency criteria.

Helen Whately: The Government is investing £600 million this year and £1 billion next year through the Discharge Fund for local authorities and National Health Service integrated care boards to spend flexibly based on their local needs. This will include the purchase of short-term packages of care, community-based reablement capacity and building the workforce capacity needed to continue to support care users. We are also supporting all systems to improve their care transfer hubs through the support offer set out in the 'Delivery plan for recovering urgent and emergency care', which includes webinars, actions learning sets and sharing best practice. Care transfer hubs link across health, social care, the voluntary sector and housing partners to coordinate complex discharges. This will help to ensure patients are discharged safely and to the right setting as soon as possible.

Patients: Transport

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of trends in the level of demand for patient transport services in each regional ambulance service in England in the last 12 months.

Helen Whately: No such assessment has been made.

Nurses: Migrant Workers

Daniel Zeichner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the treatment by recruitment agencies of nurses working in social care who were recruited from India.

Helen Whately: We continue to work closely with partners in the Home Office to share concerns and intelligence related to poor practice in the recruitment and employment of overseas workers in the care sector.All employers of international health and care staff must follow the Code of Practice for the International Recruitment of Health and Social Care Personnel to make sure staff are recruited ethically and are treated with respect.In addition, the Home Office’s sponsor licence system places clear and binding requirements and obligations on employers looking to recruit and manage overseas workers. The UK Visas and Immigration body has conducted visits and investigations in the sector, following which sponsors have had their licences suspended pending investigation and then revoked.

Ambulance Services

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the average ambulance response time to category two incidents is at least 30 minutes by the 2023-24 financial year.

Helen Whately: Our ‘Delivery plan for recovering urgent and emergency care services’ aims to reduce Category 2 response times to 30 minutes on average this year with further improvements towards pre-pandemic levels next year.To grow capacity and improve response times, ambulance services are receiving £200 million of additional funding this year. This is alongside over 800 new dual-crewed ambulances and specialist mental health vehicles.The delivery plan will also add 5,000 more permanent hospital beds this winter, supported by £1 billion of dedicated funding. This is alongside £1.6 billion of funding for social care to reduce the numbers of beds occupied by patients ready to be discharged. These measures will improve patient flow through hospitals, reducing crowding in accident and emergency and cutting down on delays in ambulances handing over patients so they can quickly get back on the roads.We have seen significant improvements in performance, with average Category 2 response times in September over 10 minutes faster than the same month last year.

Dementia: Medical Treatments

Sir John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help ensure that people with dementia are able to access breakthrough treatments as soon as they become available.

Helen Whately: New medicines must receive authorisation from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and a recommendation from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to demonstrate clinical and cost effectiveness before they can be made routinely available to National Health Service patients in England.A number of potential new disease modifying treatments for Alzheimer’s disease are in development, and MHRA, NICE, NHS England and the Department are working closely to ensure that arrangements are in place to support the adoption of any new licensed and NICE recommended treatment for Alzheimer’s disease as soon as possible.NICE’s appraisal of lecanemab for treating early Alzheimer's disease is currently underway and, subject to licensing and the company engaging in the process, NICE expects to publish final guidance in July 2024, as close to MHRA granting the licence as possible. NICE is also due to begin its appraisal of donanemab for treating early Alzheimer’s disease later this year.To prepare for these appraisals, and the expected pipeline of further disease-modifying dementia treatments, the NICE Health Technology Assessment Innovation Laboratory has already started working on identifying potential challenges that might face the evaluation of these medicines and ways of addressing them.

NHS: Staff

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish a timescale for the implementation of the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan.

Will Quince: The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan sets out the steps the National Health Service and its partners need to take to deliver an NHS workforce that meets the changing needs of the population over the next 15 years.The plan is backed by £2.4 billion over five years which will support the expansion and reform of education and training as set out in the plan.

Breast Cancer: Health Education

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to provide women with education on self-examining for breast cancer.

Will Quince: The Department has no plans to take additional steps. The National Health Service website assists in raising awareness of checking breasts for potential symptoms of breast cancer, and more information is available at the following link: https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/womens-health/how-should-i-check-my-breasts/ Additionally, the NHS Breast Screening Programme produced a five-point plan for being breast aware: that individuals should know what's normal for them; that they look at their breasts and feel them; know what changes to look for; to report any changes to a general practitioner without delay; and attend routine screening if they are aged between 50 and 70 years old.

Hearing Impairment and Visual Impairment: Health Services

Judith Cummins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve the waiting times for patients referred to NHS hospital trusts for (a) hearing and (b) sight loss.

Will Quince: We are taking action to recover elective services, including for patients with hearing and sight loss, by working towards the targets set out in the Elective Recovery Plan and providing the National Health Service with record levels of staffing and funding. To support elective recovery, we plan to spend more than £8 billion from 2022/23 to 2024/25, supported by a £5.9 billion investment in capital, including for new beds, equipment, and technology. This funding could deliver the equivalent of around nine million more checks and procedures, including for patients referred to NHS hospital trusts for hearing and sight loss, and a significant part of this funding will be invested in staff, both in terms of capacity and skills. £2.3 billion was awarded at the 2021 Spending Review to transform diagnostic services over the next three years. Most of this will help increase the number of Community Diagnostic Centres (CDCs) up to 160 by March 2025, expanding and protecting elective planned diagnostic services. The funding will also be used to increase capacity for imaging and improving digital diagnostics. Large CDC hubs provide ophthalmology and audiology tests.

Fractures: Health Services

Judith Cummins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of increasing fracture liaison services across England.

Judith Cummins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of regional disparities in the provision of fracture liaison services on patients.

Will Quince: The Government recognises the value of quality assured secondary fracture prevention services, including fracture liaison services (FLS). Within the 'Major Conditions Strategy: Case for change and our strategic framework', under next steps for musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions, it sets out that, together with NHS England, we will explore supporting the provision of FLS. This could include identifying people at risk of further osteoporotic fragility fracture and implementing strategies to reduce risk of future fracture, including falls, and mortality.Through its Getting it Right First Time Programme, with a specific workstream on MSK health, NHS England is exploring how best to support integrated care systems in the diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis. This includes a focus on improving provision of and equity of access to high-quality, secondary fracture prevention services, such as FLS, which help to identify those most at risk and offer preventative support.We are currently assessing the accessibility of FLS through data collected in the national Falls and Fragility Fracture Audit Programme. This aims to identify any disparities in provision across England and to improve services.

Commercial Clinical Trials in the UK Review

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he plans to take to ensure that implementation of the recommendations made in the Lord O’Shaughnessy review of commercial clinical trials in the UK takes into account the particular needs of (a) teenagers and (b) young adults with cancer.

Will Quince: The Government will publish a full response to the Lord O’Shaughnessy independent review into commercial clinical trials in autumn 2023. The response will include an update on progress and implementation of the initial five headline commitments and foundational actions that the Government made in May 2023.

Ultrasonics

Damien Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what comparative assessment he has made of the potential impact of the use of (a) MR-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) and (b) non-MRgFUS treatments for NHS patients on their [levels of?] wellbeing.

Will Quince: We have not made a specific assessment. On the National Health Service, transcranial magnetic resonance guided focused ultrasound thalamotomy is only recommended for the treatment of medication-refractory essential tremor in patients that are not eligible for deep brain stimulation and within the criteria set out in the NHS’ guidance, which is available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/transcranial-magnetic-resonance-guided-focused-ultrasound-thalamotomy-for-treatment-of-medication-refractory-essential-tremor/

Leukaemia: Young People

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to increase the leukaemia diagnosis rate in young people in (a) Romford constituency and (b) England.

Will Quince: Increasing the diagnosis rates of cancers, including leukaemia, in young people is a priority for the Government. Several organisations, including the Department, are taking steps across England to increase diagnosis rates, including setting stretching ambitions, supporting general practitioners (GPs) in referring patients, expanding diagnostic capacity and enabling more precise diagnosis through technology.NHS England is working to deliver the ambition it set in its Long Term Plan to diagnose 75% of cancers at stages one and two by 2028.The Department is working to support GPs in improving referrals for suspected cancer. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance underpinning cancer referrals sets out detailed guidance for GPs on the symptoms of cancer in children and young people, recommending very urgent referral, namely an appointment within 48 hours, for those presenting with a range of potential cancer symptoms, including any unexplained lump, bruising or bleeding, neurological symptoms or bone pain. For many of these symptoms, GPs now have direct access to request diagnostic tests including X-ray and ultrasound.Backed by £2.3 billion of capital funding, the Department is expanding diagnostic capacity across the National Health Service by rolling out more Community Diagnostic Centres (CDCs), delivering vital tests, scans and checks. With 123 CDCs open already and up to 160 set to open by March 2025, these offer millions of patients the chance to access quicker, more convenient checks outside of hospitals, with capacity prioritised for cancer. This is contributing to the elective recovery delivery plan ambition for 75% of patients urgently referred by their GP for suspected cancer to receive a diagnosis or have cancer ruled out within 28 days.Additionally, the NHS now offers all children and young people with cancer whole genome sequencing to enable more comprehensive and precise diagnosis, and access to more personalised treatments.These steps being taken across England, including in Romford, are improving early diagnosis and giving more children and young people the best chance of beating cancer.

Dental Services

Charlotte Nichols: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of NHS dentists are accepting new adult patients that are not entitled to free dental care as of October 2023.

Neil O'Brien: Last year we introduced changes to the 2006 dental contract, which included a requirement that dentists must update the National Health Service website with their availability at least every 90 days, making access clearer for patients.Latest data from the end of September 2023 showed that, of the practices that had updated within the preceding 90 days, 769 practices reported that they were accepting non-charge exempt adults, which is 13% of a total of approximately 5,915 practices.

Pharmacy: Recruitment

Sir John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the cost to the public purse is (a) of the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme in total and (b) for the recruitment of clinical pharmacists under that scheme as of 16 October 2023; and what recent assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of that scheme on patient outcomes.

Neil O'Brien: The following table shows total approximate spend for the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) as well as for the recruitment of clinical pharmacists:Financial YearPharmacist spend (£ million)ARRS (£ million)2019/2034532020/211372672021/222165192022/23TBCTBCTotal amount387839Notes:Spend on clinical pharmacists is based on data reported by primary care networks and integrated care boards and does not include advanced practitioner pharmacists or pharmacy technicians.Data for 2022/23 is currently not available as it is unvalidated.NHS England has committed to review the ARRS during 2023/24. This work will cover the performance of the scheme to date and inform the Government’s approach to any future support for additional clinical roles in general practice.

Obesity: Children

Mary Kelly Foy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of childhood obesity levels in (a) City of Durham constituency, (b) County Durham, (c) the North East and (d) England; and what steps his Department is taking to tackle childhood obesity in each of those areas.

Neil O'Brien: The National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) collects data on children aged four to five years old (Reception) and 10 to 11 years old (Year 6). The following table shows data on obesity prevalence from the NCMP in the academic year 2022-23. Data is not available at Parliamentary constituency level but is available at local authority, regional and England levels: Percentage of children living with obesityAreaReception (%)Year 6 (%)County Durham11.825.6North East11.325.8England9.222.7 Local authorities and the National Health Service provide weight management services to support children and families to achieve and maintain a healthier weight. Local authorities can fund behavioural weight management services from their Public Health Grant. In England, new regulations on out-of-home calorie labelling for food sold in large businesses, including restaurants, cafes and takeaways, came into force in April 2022. Restrictions on the placement of less healthy products in key selling locations in store and online came into force in October 2022. The location restrictions are the single most impactful obesity policy in reducing children’s calorie consumption, and are expected to accrue health benefits of over £57 billion and provide savings to the National Health Service of over £4 billion over the next 25 years. We are also working with the food industry to make further progress on reformulation and ensure it is easier for the public to make healthier choices. We have seen important successes including the average sugar content of drinks subject to the Soft Drinks Industry Levy decreasing by 46% between 2015 and 2020. There has also been success in some categories of the sugar reduction programme, including a 14.9% reduction of sugar in retailer- and manufacturer-branded breakfast cereals and a 13.5% reduction in yogurts and fromage frais.

NHS Blood and Transplant: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much the NHS Blood and Transplant spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Neil O'Brien: NHS Blood and Transplant has advised that their spend on equality and diversity training in 2022/23 was £33,401.

General Practitioners

Sir John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what modelling his Department has undertaken on the expected number of GP appointments to be freed up as a result of the delivery of the Pharmacy First service in (a) 2023-24, (b) 2024-25 and (c) subsequent financial years.

Neil O'Brien: The Delivery plan for recovering access to primary care was published in May 2023. It invests up to £645 million to support a Pharmacy First service which will include expanded treatment options for seven common conditions, including earache, sore throat, and urinary tract infections. This will allow community pharmacists to assess patients and supply certain prescription-only medicines without a prescription from a general practitioner. In addition, NHS Pharmacy Contraception and NHS Blood Pressure Checks services will be expanded to enable community pharmacies to provide more women with contraception and do more blood pressure checks.These services could free up 10 million appointments in general practice a year once scaled and subject to ongoing consultation with Community Pharmacy England.

Smoking: Health Services

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of expanding the swap to stop scheme to include smoking cessation products such as nicotine replacement therapies.

Neil O'Brien: The Swap to Stop programme has been developed to provide smokers with more choice by providing the option of accessing free vapes to support quit attempts. This offer includes expert support provided by local stop smoking services.Medicinally licensed nicotine replacement therapies are already available to smokers via prescription or voucher. Stop smoking service data suggests that 69% of 176,566 stop smoking service users accessed licensed nicotine replacement therapy in 2022/23. Whilst there is not currently a medicinally licensed vape, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency stands ready to support a future medicinally licensed vaping product should industry come forward with a successful candidate.

Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: Health Services

Kwasi Kwarteng: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department has taken to improve support people with foetal alcohol spectrum disorder; and what steps he has taken with Cabinet colleagues to improve support for carers of people with foetal alcohol spectrum disorder.

Neil O'Brien: The Government recognises that fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) can have a significant impact on the early years development of children and their life chances, and is taking action to improve support for those living with its consequences. The Department of Health and Social Care published the FASD Health Needs Assessment in 2021, which set out further steps to be taken to address the needs of individuals with FASD.The Department of Health and Social Care also commissioned the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence to produce a Quality Standard to improve the diagnosis and care for children and young people with FASD and highlight the importance of advising women to abstain from alcohol in pregnancy, in line with the United Kingdom’s Chief Medical Officers’ low risk drinking guidelines. This was published in 2022.The Department for Education is supporting kinship families through a £2 million contract with the charity Kinship to deliver high-quality peer support groups for kinship carers across the country. This provides a range of support for kinship carers, including support for carers of people with FASD.

Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

Kwasi Kwarteng: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of revising existing (a) training and (b) national curriculum programs for staff within the (i) healthcare and (ii) social sectors to increase the understanding of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder; and if he will commission a public health awareness campaign on the condition for the general public.

Neil O'Brien: There are no current plans to revise existing training and education, as there are already several mechanisms in place to increase understanding of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) amongst healthcare and social care staff.For example, in 2022 the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence published a FASD Quality Standard, at the request of the Department of Health and Social Care. The Quality Standard outlines several actions to be taken by service providers and healthcare professionals to improve assessment, diagnosis, and management of FASD.In social sectors, to support continuous improvement of practice for child and family social workers, the Department for Education has developed the Post Qualifying Standards for child and family social work, which set out the skills and knowledge they need to protect vulnerable children and families. This includes children with complex needs, such as those with FASD.There are no plans to commission a specific public health awareness campaign for FASD. The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, NHS England and local commissioners continue to raise awareness and education on the dangers of drinking alcohol while pregnant and through midwives and health visitors. The Department of Health and Social Care already publishes guidance for communicating the United Kingdom’s Chief Medical Officers’ low risk drinking guidelines, which includes the risks associated with alcohol consumption in pregnancy.Additionally, the Maternity Disparities Taskforce is producing guidance to support women to make healthy decisions when planning for pregnancy, which will include information on the risks of drinking while pregnant.

GP Surgeries: Repairs and Maintenance

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Royal College of General Practitioners' report entitled Fit for the Future: Reshaping general practice infrastructure in England, published in May 2023, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his Department's polices of that report's finding that almost three in four members that requested funding to upgrade their premises in the last year were unsuccessful in obtaining that funding.

Neil O'Brien: We want general practitioners (GPs) to deliver the best quality of care to patients and will continue our work to assess what is needed to enable them to deliver services effectively in GP premises.The Government has allocated over £4 billion annually in capital funding to systems to invest in maintaining the National Health Service estate and address safety issues. Improvements to existing GP premises can be financed by bidding for NHS England funding or self-funded by the GP practice, including borrowing capital. Often works are funded by a combination of these two options.The NHS (General Medical Services) Premises Costs Directions 2013 permit grant awards of up to 66% of the total value of the improvement scheme; practices are expected to meet the remaining costs.

Primary Health Care: Infrastructure

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to increase spending on (a) estates and (b) infrastructure for primary care.

Neil O'Brien: We want general practices (GPs) to deliver the best quality of care to patients and will continue our work to assess what is needed to enable them to deliver services effectively in GP premises.The Government has allocated over £4 billion annually in capital funding to systems to invest in maintaining the National Health Service estate and address safety issues. In addition, in our primary care recovery plan we committed to changing local authority planning guidance to raise the profile of primary care facilities when planners are considering how developer contributions and funds from new housing developments are allocated. NHS funding, including for primary care, is determined at each Spending Review.

Alcoholic Drinks: Consumption

Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many hospital admissions were due to alcohol consumption in each year since 2019-20; and what steps his Department is taking to help tackle this issue.

Neil O'Brien: The following table shows recorded hospital admissions for alcohol-specific conditions (conditions solely caused by alcohol) and alcohol-related conditions (conditions partially caused by alcohol):YearNumber of admissions, England, personsAlcohol-specific conditionsAlcohol-related conditions (broad)2022/23To be released February 20242021/22342,795948,3122020/21347,761814,5952019/20318,596976,423 Source: OHID, Local Alcohol Profiles for England. We have a strong programme underway to address alcohol-related harm, including investing £27 million of funding to establish alcohol care teams in the 25% of hospitals in England with the greatest need. This is expected to prevent a further 50,000 hospital admissions over five years.We are also working to reduce excess alcohol consumption and associated harm among people who regularly drink above the United Kingdom Chief Medical Officers’ low risk drinking guidelines (over 14 units per week) by facilitating substitution of standard strength alcohol with no and low-alcohol alternatives. On 28 September 2023, we launched a consultation on updating our labelling guidance for no and low-alcohol alternatives, to improve clarity of consumer information, and to support innovation in the sector. This will provide greater choice for consumers to help them moderate excess alcohol consumption. More information is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/updating-labelling-guidance-for-no-and-low-alcohol-alternatives/updating-labelling-guidance-for-no-and-low-alcohol-alternatives-consultation

Dental Services

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reasons his Department has not responded to the Health and Social Care Select Committee's report on NHS dentistry within two months of its publication on 14 July 2023.

Neil O'Brien: The Department is carefully considering the recommendations of the report. The Government’s response will be submitted in due course.

Antimicrobials: Drug Resistance

Dr Philippa Whitford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of implementing the recommendations of the report by the World Health Organisation entitled Leveraging Vaccines to Reduce Antibiotic Use and Prevent Antimicrobial Resistance, published on 27 January 2023.

Maria Caulfield: The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) contributes to the World Health Organization’s efforts to address antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The AMR National Action Plan (NAP) 2019-24 highlights the importance of developing new vaccines. The forthcoming NAP (2024-29) is under development, and infection prevention and control, including vaccines, will be a central part of the plan. UKHSA conducts research on the potential for vaccines to tackle antibiotic prescribing and AMR. UKHSA leads work within a European public-private partnership. UKHSA’s AMR network provides innovative technologies and develops interventions to tackle AMR, including vaccines and alternatives to antibiotics.

Employment: Endometriosis

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is taking steps to increase understanding amongst employers of endometriosis and its impact on people affected.

Maria Caulfield: The Women’s Health Strategy sets out ambitions that health conditions and disabilities are no longer a barrier to women’s participation in the workplace. It also sets out our ambitions for tackling taboos, including endometriosis, that can surround women’s health in the workplace, and for improving support for employers and colleagues.As part of the Health and Wellbeing Fund 2022-25, the Department of Health and Social Care has awarded almost £2 million across 16 organisations to provide a holistic support offer to assist women with reproductive health issues, including menstrual health and gynaecological conditions, to remain in or return to the workplace. Additionally, the Equality Hub is working with employers to identify existing support on women’s reproductive health in the workplace and, in partnership with the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department of Health and Social Care, is building peer networks to promote good practice.The Government’s Women’s Health Ambassador is focused on raising the profile for women’s health and supporting implementation of the strategy, including breaking down the stigma surrounding particular areas of women’s health, including endometriosis.

Menopause: Health Services

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the reasons for regional differences in waiting times for access to NHS specialist menopause services.

Maria Caulfield: The Department does not hold data on waiting times for this specialist service, and has therefore not made an official assessment of the regional differences.Most women can have their menopause treatment and support well-managed within primary care. The menopause is a core competency of all qualified general practitioners, as there is a specific section in the curricula on women's health, including the menopause.However, some women may need to see a specialist.  It is not within the remit of central government to commission specialist health services. Integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning services that meet the health needs of their local population.Our £25 million investment over the next two years to accelerate the development of women’s health hubs will improve access and quality of care for services including menopause care.

Mental Health Services: Mothers

Caroline Nokes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to increase the uptake of perinatal mental health services among ethnic minority communities.

Maria Caulfield: The National Health Service is committed to addressing unwarranted variation and health inequalities and promoting equality, including for Perinatal Mental Health services. This includes supporting services to ensure appropriate access for Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities, to ensure that women from all backgrounds who need specialist Perinatal Mental Health support receive it.NHS England’s Perinatal Mental Health programme is taking steps to ensure: training and development are available to ensure the workforce is culturally competent, diverse and representative of communities; equalities ambitions are embedded into strategic plans and governance arrangements; coproduction is embedded in service design, development and governance structures; regions and local health systems are supported to develop and achieve equality ambitions for their populations; data is available to understand trends in inequality in access, experience and outcomes to specialist Perinatal Mental Health services; third sector groups and the voluntary, community and social enterprise sectors are included to support groups at risk of health inequalities.In addition, NHS England published its first Advancing Mental Health Equalities Strategy in October 2020, laying out plans for addressing inequalities in access, experience and outcomes in mental health care.

Patients: Safety

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the level of public awareness of the National Reporting and Learning System; and whether he is taking steps to raise awareness of the system.

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how the National Reporting and Learning System works alongside independent reports to individual (a) clinics, (b) hospitals, (c) Patient Advice and Liaison Services and (d) Clinical Commissioning Groups which are dealt with in-house.

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how patient safety incidents were reported before the introduction of the National Reporting and Learning System (NRLS); and what data he holds on the number of such incidents recorded in (a) each of the five years (i) before and (ii) after the introduction of the NRLS and (b) in each of the last five years.

Maria Caulfield: The National Reporting and Learning System (NRLS) has been in operation since 2003 and supports NHS England to fulfil statutory duties relating to the collation of and learning from patient safety incident reports. NRLS is principally a secondary use service and collects patient safety incident records that are recorded on healthcare providers’ Local Risk Management Systems (LRMS). The primary use of patient safety incident records is by the provider organisation that collects the data on its own LRMS and uses the information to support local safety improvement efforts. NRLS was created to support the national collation of patient safety incident records from LRMS and some of the existing LRMS predate the introduction of the NRLS. Given its age, NRLS is being replaced with the new Learn From Patient Safety Events (LFPSE) service. More information is available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/patient-safety/learn-from-patient-safety-events-service/ NRLS, and its replacement LFPSE, support the collation of patient safety incident records from members of the public as well as from LRMS. NRLS does this through the Patient and Public eForm, which is available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/patient-safety/report-patient-safety-incident/#public As part of the development of the LFPSE service, work is underway to determine how best to support the future collection of patient safety incidents information from patients and the public. A report on the first stage of this work, published in October 2023, is available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/the-learn-from-patient-safety-events-lfpse-service-patient-and-family-discovery-report/ Information on how patient safety incident records are collated and used by NHS England is available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/patient-safety/using-patient-safety-events-data-to-keep-patients-safe/ No data is held on patient safety incident recording prior to the introduction of the NRLS in 2003. Data on the number of patient safety incidents collected by NRLS is available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/patient-safety/national-patient-safety-incident-reports/

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Andrew Bridgen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what (a) trials and (b) tests were conducted to ensure the (i) safety and (ii) efficiency of mixing and matching covid-19 vaccines and boosters from different manufacturers; and when those trials and tests were conducted.

Maria Caulfield: The Government-funded, world-first studies on the safety and efficacy of interchanging different COVID-19 vaccines include the Com-COV1, Com-COV2 and Com-COV3 studies led by the University of Oxford, and the COV-Boost study led by University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust. Com-COV1 was launched in February 2021 and completed in June 2022. Com-COV2 was launched in April 2021 and is still ongoing. Com-COV3 was launched in January 2022 and is still ongoing. COV-Boost was launched in May 2021 and completed in April 2023. More information on these studies is available at the following links:https://comcovstudy.web.ox.ac.uk/about-com-cov1https://comcovstudy.web.ox.ac.uk/about-com-cov2https://comcovstudy.web.ox.ac.uk/about-com-cov3https://covboost.web.ox.ac.uk/aboutAll these studies have found interchanging vaccines to be safe and, in some cases, more likely to produce a stronger immune response. These findings have helped to inform the United Kingdom’s COVID-19 vaccination programme as well as vaccine policy around the world. Preliminary data from these studies was shared with the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, Vaccine Taskforce and the Department as it became available.

NHS: Visual Impairment

Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of blind and visually impaired people were prevented from accessing NHS estates with guide dogs in the last 12 months.

Maria Caulfield: The data requested is not held centrally. Under the Equality Act 2010, health and social care organisations must make reasonable adjustments to ensure that disabled people are not disadvantaged, including disabled people with assistance dogs. The Act places a duty on service providers to make reasonable adjustments to improve access to premises, buildings and services. This could include allowing the use of assistance dogs so that disabled people have the same access to National Health Service estates.

NHS: Visual Impairment

Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance his Department issues on the training NHS staff should receive on (a) assistance dogs and (b) supporting blind and visually impaired people.

Maria Caulfield: Under the Equality Act 2010, health and social care organisations must make reasonable adjustments to ensure that disabled people are not disadvantaged, including disabled people with assistance dogs.National Health Service organisations and publicly funded social care providers must comply with the Accessible Information Standard (AIS) to meet the communication needs of patients and carers with a disability, impairment, or sensory loss, including blind and visually impaired people. NHS England has completed a review of the AIS to help ensure that everyone’s communication needs are met in health and care provision. The review considered the effectiveness of the current AIS, how the standard is implemented and enforced in practice, and identified recommendations for improvement. The revised standard will be published in due course.Following publication, NHS England will continue work to support implementation with awareness raising, communication and engagement and updated e-learning modules on the AIS to ensure NHS staff are better aware of the standard and their roles and responsibilities in implementing it. Assistance dogs are not covered within the scope of the AIS.

Hospital Beds

Mike Amesbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether it remains his policy to provide 5,000 new hospital beds for winter 2023.

Helen Whately: As part of our urgent and emergency care recovery plan, the National Health Service continues work to progress the delivery of an additional 5,000 permanent core beds this winter. The recovery plan remains the Government’s approach to improving urgent and emergency care services.

Dementia: Diagnosis

Sir John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve dementia diagnosis rates.

Helen Whately: In December 2022, the recovery of the dementia diagnosis rate to the national ambition of 66.7% was included in the National Health Service priorities and operational planning guidance, as part of the refined mental health objectives for 2023/24. This reinforces the importance of dementia as a key priority for NHS England and provides a clear direction for integrated care boards to support delivery of timely diagnoses within systems.The estimated dementia diagnosis rate has been increasing throughout 2023 and in September reached 64.3%, the highest rate since the introduction of the primary care dementia publication in April 2022.

UK Health Security Agency: Research

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much the UK Health Security Agency Vaccine Development and Evaluation Centre spent on research and development in the (a) 2021-22 and (b) 2022-23 financial years; and how much it expects to spend in 2023-24.

Maria Caulfield: The UK Health Security Agency’s Vaccine Development and Evaluation Centre (VDEC) only formally existed from 1 April 2023, so finances for previous financial years are not available in the format requested. The forecasted research and development expenditure for the whole VDEC programme for 2023/24 is £7.2 million. It should be noted that this is a maximum forecast including a contingency pot and actual spend may be less.This spend will be included in the organisational spend published in the Statement of Comprehensive Net Expenditure, noting in the publication that VDEC spend will not be separated out from overall program spend.

Prescription Drugs: Addictions

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what (a) guidance his Department issues and (b) processes are in place to help prevent patient addiction to prescription medicines.

Will Quince: In March 2023, NHS England published ‘Optimising personalised care for adults prescribed medicines associated with dependence or withdrawal symptoms: framework for action’. It aims to further reduce inappropriate prescribing of high-strength painkillers and other addiction-causing medicines, like opioids and benzodiazepines, where they may no longer be the most clinically appropriate treatment for patients, and in some cases can become harmful without intervention.NHS England provides support to integrated care boards and primary care as the Framework is implemented, through: national medicines optimisation opportunities for the National Health Service in 2023/24, which include opportunities for reducing opioid use in chronic non-cancer pain, and addressing inappropriate antidepressant prescribing; the Medicines Safety Improvement Programme, in partnership with the Patient Safety Collaboratives across England, is supporting other NHS teams to work with patients to reduce long term opioid use; annual investment of £2.3 billion until 2024 in mental health services and NHS Talking Therapies; a national programme to ensure social prescribing is an option for patients, as well as funding for social prescribers through the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme; support for delivering Structured Medication Reviews (SMR), including those on medicines associated with dependence and withdrawal symptoms; academic Health Science Network (AHSN) training on delivering SMRs; AHSN patient facing materials; and guidance published by NHS England on Structured Medication Review and Medicines Optimisation.

Prescription Drugs: Addictions

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an estimate of the number of people who had an addiction to a prescription drug in each of the last five years.

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make (a) an estimate of the cost to and (b) an assessment of the impact on health services of addiction to prescription drugs in each of the last five years.

Will Quince: The information requested is not held. There are primary care codes (SNOMED CT) that can be used by primary care teams to record the physical and mental symptoms associated with dependence and withdrawal from prescribed drugs, although there are challenges in linking symptom and diagnostic data with prescribed medicines use.However, in March 2023, NHS England published ‘Optimising personalised care for adults prescribed medicines associated with dependence or withdrawal symptoms: framework for action’. The framework sets out the scale of and change to prescribing of five medicines associated with dependence over time. Other sources of data such as Openprescribing also enable variation and comparisons in prescribing to be reviewed at different system levels, such as integrated care board, primary care network or practice level.

Kidney Diseases: Medical Treatments

Ian Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to Kidney Research UK's recent report entitled Kidney Disease: a UK public health emergency, what steps his Department is taking to mitigate the cost of kidney disease treatment to the NHS.

Ian Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to Kidney Research UK's recent report entitled Kidney Disease: a UK public health emergency, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of available data on the rate at which patients progress through the stages of chronic kidney disease.

Ian Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the recommendations of Kidney Research UK's recent report entitled Kidney Disease: a UK public health emergency, whether he plans to establish oversight of paediatric kidney care from kidney policymakers.

Will Quince: NHS England, through its Renal Services Transformation Programme (RSTP) and regional renal clinical networks, is progressing a series of programmes to provide better and more joined-up care across care settings, reducing health inequalities, and focussing on prevention and timely intervention through streamlined patient pathways to address the management of deteriorating kidney disease. By supporting prevention and early intervention, the need for more costly late-stage treatments will be reduced.The RSTP launched a renal toolkit earlier this year for use by local National Health Service systems, which outlines principles to support improved management of patients identified with chronic kidney disease (CKD) throughout their patient journey. The RSTP is also working closely with NHS England’s regional renal clinical networks to review this toolkit and to work with local partners to develop transformation programmes that will reduce the number of patients progressing through various stages of CKD. Regional renal clinical networks have already prioritised CKD diagnosis and prevention of progression within their core function.Paediatric renal services are commissioned by NHS England and overseen by the Paediatric Renal Services Clinical Reference Group (CRG). The CRG takes responsibility for setting policy, a national service specification and quality standards with which commissioned services should comply. The CRG’s work programme has several core elements, including revision of the Paediatric Renal Services Service Specification, which will improve oversight of paediatric kidney care and the transition of care to adult services. The CRG works collaboratively with the Adult Renal Services CRG and the RSTP.

Ophthalmic Services: Waiting Lists

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to (a) reduce waiting lists for ophthalmology care and (b) ensure that access to care is prioritised according to need.

Will Quince: We are taking action to recover elective services, including ophthalmology, by working towards the targets set out in the Elective Recovery Plan and providing the National Health Service with record levels of staffing and funding. We plan to transform the way the NHS provides elective care by increasing activity, including through dedicated and protected surgical hubs, focusing on providing high-volume, low-complexity surgery as recommended by the Royal College of Surgeons of England. These hubs will initially focus on driving improvement in six high volume specialties, one of these being ophthalmology.The most recent published data from NHS England shows that the average wait time for referral to treatment for ophthalmology was 12.3 weeks, below the national average of 14.5 weeks.The NHS will triage patients waiting for elective care through three key stages: firstly, through clinical prioritisation, ensuring the order in which patients are seen reflects clinical judgement on need; secondly, by managing long waits through targeting support to reduce the number of people waiting a long time; and thirdly, increasing the number of cancer referrals, ensuring that those patients who have not yet presented to services are included. These considerations are critical in improving overall health outcomes, underpinned by new investment and new technology.

Lung Diseases: Mortality Rates

Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help improve survival rates for people with pulmonary fibrosis.

Will Quince: Patients with pulmonary fibrosis are cared for by National Health Service regional specialist interstitial lung disease (ILD) services. These are commissioned by NHS England.To be referred to a specialist service, patients need to be identified in primary and secondary care. Early and accurate diagnosis is a priority for NHS England, and the work to improve this area of clinical care is underway, which should have an impact on reducing delayed diagnosis of pulmonary fibrosis.NHS England is responsible for the commissioning of services for ILD and funds the cost of anti-fibrotic treatments to treat this disease. Access to these treatments has recently been expanded to patients with non-idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis following the publication of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s technology appraisal ‘Nintedanib for treating progressive fibrosing interstitial lung diseases’ in November 2021.

Spondyloarthritis: Diagnosis

Tom Randall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he is taking steps through the forthcoming Major Conditions Strategy to help improve the diagnosis and management of axial spondyloarthritis.

Will Quince: On 24 January 2023, we announced our plan to publish the Major Conditions Strategy. This strategy will explore how we can tackle the key drivers of ill-health in England, reduce pressure on the National Health Service and reduce ill-health-related labour market inactivity. The Strategy will focus on six major groups of conditions, including musculoskeletal (MSK) disorders. MSK conditions affect people across the life course and cover a range of conditions, including inflammatory conditions such as axial spondyloarthritis. We have now published our initial report ‘Major Conditions Strategy: Case for change and our strategic framework’. It sets out what we have learned so far, and shares what we plan to focus on next to develop the final strategy. For MSK conditions, it sets out that we will look to: improve secondary prevention and the use of non-pharmaceutical interventions, embedding a biopsychosocial and personalised approach and building upon the progress made through the NHS Long Term Plan; advocate the use of population health management methodologies to target the right kind of support based on individual circumstances and need to those who need it most; and aim to improve services where medical treatment is necessary.Following publication of the strategic framework, we will continue to develop the strategy, informed by the Call for Evidence and ongoing engagement with stakeholders.

Defibrillators: Finance

Sir Gavin Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of funding allocated by his Department to community defibrillator projects.

Will Quince: No assessment has been made. The Government’s £1 million Community Automated External Defibrillators (AED) fund will provide an estimated 1,000 new defibrillators across England, with the potential for this to double as successful applicants will be asked to match the funding they receive partially or fully.As of 22 September 2022, community organisations can now apply for a grant to fund a life-saving defibrillator for their local area. Applications for funding will be submitted to Smarter Society and the London Hearts Charity, who will assess each application against set criteria, ensuring that each AED is placed where they are needed most. They have designed engagement and application processes to appeal to a wide and diverse audience.

Innovative Medicines Fund

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether (a) his Department and (b) NHS England plan to review the performance of the Innovative Medicines Fund.

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many medicines have qualified for (a) managed access and (b) interim funding under the Innovative Medicines Fund ahead of routine commissioning.

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much and what proportion of allocated funding for the Innovative Medicines Fund has been disbursed since its launch in June 2022.

Will Quince: We have no plans to review the Innovative Medicines Fund’s performance. Medicines for the Fund are identified through the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE) appraisal process in line with the published principles. While no new non-cancer medicine has yet entered managed access through the Fund, several technologies which have proceeded to routine funding had been identified, assessed and their suitability for the Fund discussed with the relevant manufacturers.NICE and NHS England continue to engage with industry and track the pipeline of new medicines for possible candidates. The ringfenced £340 million funding for the Fund forms part of NHS England’s overall specialised commissioning budget. Any underspend on medicines funded through the Fund is diverted to other specialised services.

Department of Health and Social Care: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much their Department spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-2023 financial year.

Will Quince: During 2022/23, the Department has provided the mandatory Civil Service Expectations training package from the Government Campus and Curriculum. This package includes learning on equality and diversity but does not incur a specific financial charge. No paid-for equality and diversity training has been provided in 2022/23.

Department of Health and Social Care: Women

Amy Callaghan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of civil servants on temporary contracts in his Department are women.

Will Quince: As of 30 September 2023, 62% of the Department’s workforce on temporary contracts were women.

Health Services: Immigration

Sir John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an estimate of the cost to the NHS of providing healthcare to people who have registered as patients since migrating to the UK since 2010.

Will Quince: The information is not held in the format requested.The National Health Service recovers costs from people migrating to the United Kingdom through the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) and our reciprocal healthcare arrangements with countries in the European Economic Area. Income from the IHS scheme has been published in Home Office annual accounts since the scheme was introduced in 2015. The latest accounts are available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/home-office-annual-report-and-accounts-2022-to-2023The following table shows income from our reciprocal healthcare arrangements:Financial Year2017/182018/192019/202020/212021/22EEA income£63 million£63 million£70 million£68 million£69 million This information is also published in the Department of Health and Social Care annual accounts. The latest accounts are available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dhsc-annual-report-and-accounts-2021-to-2022

NHS Counter Fraud Authority: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much the NHS Counter Fraud Authority spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Will Quince: In 2022/23, the NHS Counter Fraud Authority spent £175.50 on equality and diversity training.

Department of Health and Social Care: Women

Amy Callaghan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of civil servants (a) at grade senior civil servant 2 and (b) on full-time equivalent contracts in his Department are women.

Will Quince: The following table shows the gender split of senior civil servant (SCS) 2 civil servants within the Department as of 30 September 2023. 47% of our SCS 2 cadre are female. Of that 47% that are female, 43% are full-time.SCS 2MaleFemaleGrand TotalFull-time45%43%88%Part-time8%4%12%Grand Total53%47%100%

Dementia: Research

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent progress he has made on delivering the Government's dementia moonshot commitment; and what recent estimate he has made of when that commitment will be delivered, in the context of the finding in Alzheimer's Research UK's report entitled Tipping Point: The Future of Dementia, published in September 2023, that every £1 invested in dementia research is expected to generate an average of £2.91 of economic benefits in the UK between 2020 and 2040.

Will Quince: The Government is strongly committed to supporting research into dementia. In 2019, we committed to double funding for dementia research to £160 million per year by 2024/25. The Government spent over £413 million on dementia research from 2017/18 to 2021/22.On 14 August 2022, the Government launched the Dame Barbara Windsor Dementia Mission, along with £95 million of funding. The Mission is part of the commitment to double dementia research funding. The Mission aims to speed up the development of new treatments.On 20 March 2023, we announced the appointment of two co-chairs of the mission, Hilary Evans, of Alzheimer’s Research UK, and Nadeem Sarwar, of Novo Nordisk. The Mission chairs have developed a roadmap that sets out their ambition to work with industry and other United Kingdom initiatives by developing innovations in biomarkers, data and digital sciences, and increasing the number and speed of clinical trials in dementia.

Pancreatic Cancer: Vaccination

Layla Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what support his Department is providing for work on a pancreatic cancer vaccine; and what his Department's timeline is for clinical trials of the vaccine.

Will Quince: The Government is supporting the development of cancer vaccines. Through the Cancer Mission we announced £22.5 million funding for immune-based cancer therapies, including cancer vaccines, targeted to a patient’s specific cancer, and for early cancer diagnostics.In addition, the NHS England Cancer Vaccine Launchpad was created this year to support the delivery of cancer vaccine trials across England, enabling more patients to access trials for these groundbreaking therapies. While the Department does not have timelines for pancreatic cancer vaccine trials specifically, this pathway will seek to support such trial activity.

Protective Clothing

Matt Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help maintain a resilient supply chain for personal protective equipment.

Will Quince: Responsibility for the supply and distribution of personal protective equipment (PPE) on a day-to-day basis lies with NHS Supply Chain. The Department, NHS Supply Chain and NHS England continue to work collaboratively to deliver procurement and supply chain excellence for PPE that meets customer and patient needs, and to drive value for money for taxpayers.The Department actively monitors and mitigates supply threats and disruptions to help ensure continuity of supply of medical products, and the Department has experience of this through EU Exit, COVID-19 and other supply disruptions.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to enable individuals who are not eligible for the autumn 2023 covid booster vaccine to purchase the vaccine.

Maria Caulfield: The Government is guided by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) on eligible cohorts for vaccination. For COVID-19 the JCVI has advised that the objective for the current autumn campaign is to continue to focus the offer of vaccination on those at greatest risk of serious disease and who are therefore most likely to benefit from vaccination.As is the case for other private healthcare, the emergence of a private market for COVID-19 vaccines in the United Kingdom is for suppliers and private healthcare providers to decide and agree on.

Pests: France

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has held discussions with the UK Health Security Agency on the implications for its policies of trends in cimicosis infestations in France.

Maria Caulfield: No specific discussions have been had with the UK Health Security Agency. Although unpleasant, bedbugs are not known to spread disease and there is no known infectious disease risk from bedbug bites.

Fertility: Medical Treatments

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what data his Department holds on the number of women undergoing NHS fertility treatment as of 13 October 2023.

Maria Caulfield: The Department does not collect data on fertility treatment.The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has advised that it holds data on 17,176 patients having undergone National Health Service-funded fertility treatment in the United Kingdom in 2021. The data is the latest information available and as shown on the HFEA’s register database on 16 October 2023. Data for 2022 will be available from May 2024 and data for 2023 will be available from May 2025.

Fertility: Medical Treatments

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will list the fertility treatments available through the NHS as of October 2023.

Maria Caulfield: The Government published a table of integrated care board commissioning policies for National Health Service-funded in vitro fertilisation in England on 22 July 2023, which is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nhs-funded-ivf-in-england/nhs-funded-in-vitro-fertilisation-ivf-in-englandA general list of treatments available on the NHS is available at the following link:https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/infertility/treatment/

Primodos

Damien Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support people who have experienced harm as a result of the hormone pregnancy drug Primodos.

Maria Caulfield: As we announced following the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety (IMMDS) Review, which covered Primodos, our priority is to make medicines and devices safer, and the Government is pursuing a wide range of activity to further this aim.Our 2021 response to the IMMDS Review and December 2022 update explains the changes that have been put in place since the Review’s report publication, and the further action we will take to implement the recommendations accepted and to improve patient safety. This includes appointing Dr Henrietta Hughes as the first ever Patient Safety Commissioner in England to champion patients’ voices in relation to the safety of medicines and medical devices.

Maternity Services and Menopause

Sir John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will meet with the General Medical Council to discuss its use of gender terms in policy documents referring to (a) the menopause and (b) maternity.

Maria Caulfield: No specific meeting is planned. The General Medical Council (GMC) is independent from the Government and its internal guidance is produced for employees of the GMC, not for doctors registered with the GMC.

Hospital Wards: Transgender People

Elliot Colburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his policy is on whether (a) trans women with a gender recognition certificate will be banned from and (b) trans men will be expected to use female wards; and whether this policy will apply in all (i) healthcare settings and (ii) circumstances.

Maria Caulfield: It is imperative that National Health Service trusts respect the privacy and dignity of patients. The Government has been clear that patients should not have to share sleeping accommodation with others of the opposite sex and should have access to segregated bathroom and toilet facilities. NHS England’s Delivering Same-Sex Accommodation Guidance outlines the approach that should be taken to placing trans patients on single-sex wards. The guidance is being updated and a revised version will be published in due course.My Rt hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, recently announced that proposals to protect the privacy, dignity and safety of patients will be brought forward later this year as part of the routine update of the NHS Constitution and its Handbook. Any measures consulted on will be fully in line with the Equality Act 2010, respecting the rights of all patients in hospital settings.

Sepsis: Hospitals

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of cases where patients that developed sepsis in hospital have resulted in (a) permanent impairment and (b) death in the last 12 months.

Will Quince: The Government does not hold information on the number and proportion of cases where patients that developed sepsis in hospital have resulted in permanent impairment or death. According to the Office for National Statistics, there were 25,542 deaths from sepsis in 2022.Over recent years, the National Health Service has become much better at spotting and treating sepsis quickly. This means that more people are being identified as at risk of sepsis. Healthcare providers are encouraged to adopt the National Early Warning Score (NEWS2), which supports clinicians to identify and respond to patients at risk of acute deterioration, including those with suspected sepsis. Since 2019, NEWS2 has been implemented in 100% of ambulance trusts and all but one acute trust in England.

Drugs: Shortages

Ian Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the National Patient Safety Alert entitled Shortage of methylphenidate prolonged-release capsules and tablets, lisdexamfetamine capsules, and guanfacine prolonged-release tablets, issued on 27 September 2023, what steps he is taking to resolve the supply of those drugs (a) nationally and (b) in the Liverpool West Derby constituency.

Ian Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the National Patient Safety Alert entitled Shortage of methylphenidate prolonged-release capsules and tablets, lisdexamfetamine capsules, and guanfacine prolonged-release tablets, issued on 27 September 2023, what steps his Department is taking to (a) support and (b) provide information to people who are impacted by supply disruptions for their prescribed medication.

Will Quince: We are aware of supply issues affecting medicines used for the management of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). We have issued communications, in the form of a National Patient Safety Alert, to the National Health Service to advise healthcare professionals on the management of patients during this time. We continue to work closely with manufacturers to resolve the issues as soon as possible and to ensure patients have continuous access to ADHD medicines in the United Kingdom. We have added ADHD products to the export restriction list to protect available supplies for UK patients. We anticipate that the supply disruption will resolve at various dates between October and December 2023. We do not hold information or take action at a local level.We have published a list of currently available and unavailable ADHD products on the Specialist Pharmacy Services website, which provides information for prescribers. This will be regularly updated to ensure those involved in prescribing and dispensing can make informed decisions. Any patient who is impacted by this situation and has concerns about their treatment should discuss this with their clinician.

Lisdexamfetamine

Patricia Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had on ensuring the supply of lisdexamfetamine.

Patricia Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to secure the supply of lisdexampfetamine.

Will Quince: We are aware of supply issues affecting medicines used for the management of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), including lisdexamfetamine. We have issued communications, in the form of a National Patient Safety Alert, to the National Health Service to advise healthcare professionals on management of patients during this time. We continue to work closely with manufacturers to resolve the issues as soon as possible and to ensure patients have continuous access to ADHD medicines in the United Kingdom.The shortage of lisdexamfetamine capsules is not confined to the UK, it is a global issue and other markets are affected. We have added ADHD products, including lisdexamfetamine, to the export restriction list to protect available supplies for UK patients. We anticipate that the supply disruption will resolve at various dates between October and December 2023.

Glaucoma: Primary Health Care

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is taking steps to make primary care optometry the default option for glaucoma care.

Neil O'Brien: In England, optometrists and ophthalmic medical practitioners play a vital role in the early detection of glaucoma, which is usually picked up during a routine sight test. Patients with suspected glaucoma will be referred for further investigation and any clinically necessary treatment.Integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning secondary care services and are also able to commission out-of-hospital services from primary eye care providers to meet local needs, which could include the ongoing management and monitoring of selected glaucoma patients.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Azerbaijan: Foreign Relations

Kirsten Oswald: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department is reviewing (a) commercial relations with and (b) UK imports of oil from Azerbaijan in the context of border violations and military manoeuvres in the Lachin Corridor.

Leo Docherty: The UK recognises Azerbaijan's role as a reliable energy partner that plays an important role in the global energy landscape. However, energy is only part of our overall relationship with Azerbaijan, and it is those broad ties which enable us to have wide-reaching conversations with senior representatives of the Azerbaijani Government on a range of themes, including the unfolding situation in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Hamas: Hostage Taking

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he has taken to help the government of Israel to secure the swift return of (a) British and (b) other Israelis taken captive by Hamas.

David Rutley: My [Minister Rutley] thoughts are with those families who are facing unimaginable uncertainty and fear because of these despicable attacks and kidnappings. This is a fast-moving situation, and we are not commenting on individual consular cases. The safety of all British nationals continues to be our utmost priority. We are using all the tools available to us in our diplomatic toolkit to maximise our chances of bringing innocent British nationals back home to their loved ones. The Foreign Secretary is working with his Israeli counterparts along with international partners to establish a safe passage for British nationals out of Gaza.British Nationals in need of help should contact +972 (0)3 725 1222 or +972 (2) 5414100. If they experience technical difficulties or if they are in the UK, call +44 20 7008 5000. British nationals in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including Gaza, are advised to register their presence with the FCDO.[https://www.register.service.csd.fcdo.gov.uk/israel-20231009/tell-the-uk-government-youre-in-israel-or-the-occupied-palestinian-territories][https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/israel]

Sustainable Development

Lloyd Russell-Moyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the outcome of the United Nations General Assembly assessment of progress towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: With only 15 per cent of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) targets on track to be delivered by 2030, and 37 per cent stalled or in reverse, there is a clear need to go faster and further to accelerate progress. The Deputy Prime Minister reaffirmed the UK's strong commitment to the SDG and the actions needed to deliver them at the SDG Summit during UNGA High Level Week. By listening to the concerns of our partners, particularly in the developing world, we saw important progress made to accelerate delivery of the Sustainable Development Goals.The UK's forthcoming International Development White Paper will set out our vision for global development that delivers on the Sustainable Development Goals, poverty reduction, economic growth and tackling climate change through to 2030. It will build on commitments outlined in the International Development Strategy and Integrated Review Refresh.

France: State Visits

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the Government plans to host the French President in the United Kingdom in the next 12 months.

Leo Docherty: The French President is regularly invited to the UK for events of national significance and for high-level meetings. We are unable to confirm when we will next have the opportunity to host him.

Osman Kavala

John Howell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the award of the Václav Havel Prize to Osman Kavala at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on 9 October 2023.

Leo Docherty: We recognise the significance of the award of the Václav Havel Prize to Osman Kavala and the subsequent PACE debate. The award and the overwhelming vote in favour of his release highlight that Osman Kavala remains in prison, despite the two European Court of Human Rights rulings calling for his immediate release. The UK has consistently joined this call. We will continue to work with Council of Europe Member States including Turkey, to find a solution to the situation.

Pakistan: Religious Freedom

Martyn Day: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help support religious minorities in Pakistan.

Martyn Day: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much and what proportion of (a) humanitarian and (b) development funding his Department has provided to help support the human rights of minorities in Pakistan.

Leo Docherty: The UK regularly engages with the Government of Pakistan at a senior level to promote minority rights and Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB). We prioritise our aid to achieve maximum impact for the people of Pakistan in line with our strategic priorities, including promoting FoRB. Our Accountability, Inclusion and Reducing Modern Slavery programme (£39.5 million over the period 2018-2024) brings together community leaders and minority representatives to promote tolerance. Our Hate Speech and Disinformation programme (£4.2 million over the period 2022-2025) is working to protect marginalised communities from hate speech online. The UK's programme of support for education has helped thousands of children from religious minorities attend school and gain skills (£130 million over the period 2023-2027). Our bilateral ODA (Official Development Assistance) budget in FY 23/24 is £41.5 million. This is set to more than triple, to £133 million, next year.

Ukraine: Peace Negotiations

John Howell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the debate on the report entitled Ensuring a just peace in Ukraine and lasting security in Europe, which was held at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on 12 October 2023.

Leo Docherty: The UK supports the Council of Europe's role in highlighting the devastating consequences of Russia's unprovoked and illegal invasion of Ukraine, and welcomes the work of its Parliamentary Assembly in this regard. We support Ukraine's efforts to promote the principles needed to underpin a just and lasting peace based on the UN Charter, including President Zelenskyy's 'ten-point peace formula'. There is broad international consensus that for peace to be lasting it must be based on respect for the UN Charter, international law, territorial integrity, and sovereignty.

EU Countries: Travel Requirements

Marion Fellows: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if his Department will launch a public awareness campaign on the requirement for UK citizens to apply for European Travel Information and Authorisation System travel authorisation in order to travel to Europe from 2024.

Leo Docherty: The Government continues to engage with the European Commission and EU Member States to understand the impact the EU's European Travel Information and Authorisation System will have on British citizens, and to understand their plans for public communications.Entry requirements for British citizens travelling to the EU are set out in FCDO travel advice. These requirements are based on information provided by EU Member States. FCDO travel advice is regularly updated to reflect our latest understanding of EU Member State requirements.

Turkey: British Nationals Abroad

John McNally: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 18 September 2023 to Question 199460 on Members: Correspondence, and with refence to the letter from the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Europe to the hon. Member for Falkirk relating to a bereaved constituent, ref MC2023/14846, dated 14 September 2023, what forms of liaising his Department undertakes with the Turkish Government on this topic; and whether he is taking (a) bilateral and (b) other steps to help prevent deaths following private medical procedures in that county.

Leo Docherty: Our Embassy in Ankara engages regularly with the Turkish authorities on the issue of medical tourism and the need for comprehensive advice for Britons seeking such treatment in Turkey. The Ambassador raised the subject with the Turkish Health Minister on 4 October. A delegation from the Department for Health and Social Care is due to visit Turkey in November to discuss medical tourism with the Turkish authorities. We keep our central online guidance up to date, as well as the FCDO Travel Advice for Turkey.

Crimes against Humanity

Ms Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to strengthen his Department’s work on atrocity prevention; and if he will include engagement with political transition processes using an atrocity prevention lens framework within that work.

Leo Docherty: The UK is committed to preventing and responding to atrocities globally. Since launching in September 2022, FCDO's Mass Atrocity Prevention Hub has been working with international and NGO partners to incorporate best practice, build capacity, and embed atrocity prevention in FCDO. The Hub is producing guidance on the range of diplomatic, development, economic and security interventions to help prevent atrocities, strengthening FCDO's atrocity prevention training offer, and integrating atrocity risk analysis into global horizon scanning and early warning capabilities. The Hub is working to ensure that an atrocity prevention lens is applied across FCDO's work where relevant.

France: Foreign Relations

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has met his French counterpart since His Majesty the King’s state visit to France in September 2023.

Leo Docherty: While the Foreign Secretary and French Foreign Minister did not meet in person in the last month, they are in regular contact on a range of shared priorities. They most recently spoke about the situation in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

France: Educational Visits

Fleur Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his French counterpart on facilitating school visits to France.

Leo Docherty: At the UK-France Summit in Paris on 10 March, both countries committed to facilitating smoother entry for children travelling between the UK and France as part of a school trip. Officials have been in regular contact to deliver these changes, including through the UK-France Mobility Dialogue.

Nagorno Karabakh: Armed Conflict

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help de-escalate recent violence in Artsakh or Nagorno-Karabakh.

Leo Docherty: The UK Government was clear in publicly calling for an end to the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh in September 2023, and has called on all parties to avoid any future escalatory actions. Ministers have raised the importance of de-escalation directly with Azerbaijani counterparts. Lord Ahmed met Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Bayramov on the 23 September in New York, I [Minister Docherty] called Bayramov on 28 September and the Foreign Secretary spoke with Bayramov on 17 October. Ministers have also engaged with Armenia on issues relating to the conflict. I [Minister Docherty] spoke to Armenian Foreign Minister Mirzoyan on the 28 September, and the Foreign Secretary called Mirzoyan on 10 October.

Ukraine: Humanitarian Aid

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what information his Department holds on the amount of aid disbursed by the Disaster and Emergency Committee in Ukraine since the Russian invasion of that country.

Leo Docherty: We have provided £347 million of humanitarian assistance to Ukraine since February 2022. This includes £25 million to the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal, which raised over £400 million in the first 6 months of the war. The first funds (£85 million) were spent by 13 Disaster and Emergency Committee member charities in the initial six months after Russia's invasion.

Pakistan: Religious Freedom

Martyn Day: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Pakistani counterpart on the persecution of religious minorities in that country.

Leo Docherty: The UK strongly condemns the violence faced by religious minorities in Pakistan. Protecting Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB), including for minority communities, remains a priority for the UK Government's human rights engagement in Pakistan. The Foreign Secretary raised the persecution of religious communities with Pakistan's Prime Minister, Anwaral Haq Kakar on 25 September. On 21 August, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister for South Asia, wrote to Pakistan's caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani, urging the Government to ensure the safety of the Christian community following recent attacks in Jaranwala. He has since written again to the Foreign Minister following the shocking desecration of Ahmadi Mosques and graves in Punjab and Sindh. Lord Ahmad also condemned attacks against religious minorities in his meetings with Foreign Minister Jilani on 13 September, and Pakistani High Commissioner Mohammed Faisal on 6 September.

Holodomor

Mark Logan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to (a) raise awareness of and (b) commemorate the Holodomor in the UK, in the context of the war in Ukraine.

Leo Docherty: The Holodomor was a horrific, man-made disaster. The UK remembers this event annually, as the Prime Minister did by lighting a candle at the Holodomor memorial in Kyiv in November 2022. Our officials in Ukraine regularly attend similar commemoration events. The UK is committed to holding to account those responsible for committing atrocities in Ukraine, by supporting the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine and the International Criminal Court (ICC) to ensure allegations of war crimes are fully and fairly investigated by independent and robust legal mechanisms. Since the start of the invasion we have provided £2 million in additional contributions to the ICC.

Pakistan: Detainees

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent representations he has made to his Pakistani counterpart on forced disappearances in that country.

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of allegations of involvement of the Pakistani (a) intelligence services and (b) military in (i) enforced disappearances and (ii) secret detention in that country.

Leo Docherty: We engage regularly with the Government of Pakistan to advance key priorities and interests, including on human rights and the rule of law. The Foreign Secretary raised the current human rights situation in Pakistan with Prime Minister Kakar on 25 September. The UK strongly condemns any instances of enforced disappearances and urges Pakistan to investigate any allegations and prosecute those responsible. We continue to encourage progress towards the criminalisation of enforced disappearance in Pakistan. Where there are allegations of human rights violations, we expect these to be fully investigated in line with international human rights law.

Pakistan: Politics and Government

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the of the implications for his policies of the political situation in Pakistan.

Leo Docherty: The UK has a longstanding and close relationship with Pakistan. We continue to monitor the political situation closely. On 25 September, the Foreign Secretary discussed the need to uphold democratic principles with Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar. Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister for South Asia, spoke with caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Jilani on 12 September, to emphasise the importance of peaceful democratic processes and human rights. In a letter to caretaker Foreign Minister Jilani on 21 August, Lord Ahmad emphasised the need for Pakistan's citizens to be able to exercise their democratic rights and participate in peaceful, inclusive, credible elections.

Gaza

Marsha De Cordova: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his counterpart in Israel on the compatibility of restrictions in the provision of (a) water, (b) food and (c) electricity to Gaza with international law.

Marsha De Cordova: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Israeli counterpart on helping to ensure that the Israeli Defence Force’s actions in Gaza adhere to the Geneva Conventions.

David Rutley: The UK is steadfast in its position that all states should uphold international humanitarian law, and we call on our friends and partners to do so. Israel has the right to defend itself proportionately, and its military operations must be conducted in accordance with International Humanitarian Law. Civilians must be respected and protected. Both the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary have, in their discussions with their Israeli counterparts, emphasised the importance of taking all possible measures to protect innocent civilians. Israeli President Isaac Herzog has stated that Israel will operate in accordance with international law.

India and Pakistan: Oppression

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made representations to his (a) Pakistani and (b) Indian counterparts about reports of involvement by their officials in repression in the UK.

Leo Docherty: The UK Government takes the protection of individuals' rights, freedoms and safety very seriously. We are clear that all diplomatic missions must respect UK sovereignty and law, and that we will respond appropriately to any attempts by foreign governments to coerce, intimidate or harm individuals within the UK. We will continue to work through the inter-governmental Defending Democracy Taskforce to protect democratic processes, institutions, and society from threats of foreign interference.

Gaza

Olivia Blake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with humanitarian organisations on delivering aid in Gaza.

David Rutley: The UK is calling for immediate unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza so that essential aid, including food, water, fuel and medical supplies, can reach civilian populations. The UK is also calling on all parties to protect border crossings to support safe humanitarian access and mitigate harm to civilians. The FCDO is actively engaging with the international humanitarian system (including UN agencies, Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs), Non-governmental organization (NGOs) and Civil Society Organisations) to address the current humanitarian crisis in Gaza. On 19 October, the Foreign Secretary visited the region where he will meet leaders in Egypt, Turkey and Qatar and push for agreement on humanitarian access to Gaza, the release of British hostages and foreign nationals, and securing safe passage for British Nationals to leave Gaza.

Gaza

Kim Leadbeater: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the press release of 16 October 2023 entitled UK announces £10 million humanitarian aid for civilians in Occupied Palestinian Territories, whether he plans to publish the (a) process and (b) mechanisms by which that aid will be distributed in Gaza.

David Rutley: The FCDO aid budget is allocated in accordance with UK strategic priorities against a challenging financial climate. There is a robust framework in place for allocating Official Development Assistance (ODA). Data on ODA spend in the Occupied Palestinian Territories is available on DevTracker (https://devtracker.fcdo.gov.uk/countries/PS). More than 80% of our ODA spend this year of UK support will be used to meet humanitarian need, or to provide vital health, education, and protection services for Palestinian Refugees. The new funding announced on 16 October 2023 will allow trusted partners, including key UN agencies to provide essential relief items and services. These could include food, water and emergency shelter, depending on the needs on the ground. The UK is also exploring options for moving humanitarian supplies closer to the region and is liaising with aid agencies in the region to ensure relief supplies can be distributed as quickly and effectively as possible.

Gaza

Kim Leadbeater: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what meetings he has had since 7 October 2023 with aid and charity organisations operating in Gaza on the provision and access of British aid.

David Rutley: The UK is calling for immediate unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza so that essential aid, including food, water, fuel and medical supplies, can reach civilian populations. The UK is also calling on all parties to protect border crossings to support safe humanitarian access and mitigate harm to civilians. The FCDO is actively engaging with the international humanitarian system (including UN agencies, Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs), Non-Governmental Organization (NGOs), and Civil Society Organisations) to address the current humanitarian crisis in Gaza. On 19 October, the Foreign Secretary visited the region where he will meet leaders in Egypt, Turkey and Qatar and push for agreement on humanitarian access to Gaza, the release of British hostages and foreign nationals, and securing safe passage for British Nationals to leave Gaza.

British Virgin Islands: Companies

Dame Margaret Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the Virgin Islands' implementation of publicly accessible registers of company beneficial ownership in line with the Draft Order in Council prepared by the Secretary of State to comply with the requirement under section 51 of the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018; whether the Territory has (a) introduced and (b) passed the legislation required for the creation of a publicly accessible register of company beneficial ownership; whether the register will be (i) open and (ii) free at point of access; and when the register will be (A) live and (B) operational.

David Rutley: The Government of the British Virgin Islands (BVIG) already shares confidential information on company beneficial ownership with UK law enforcement under the Exchange of Notes Arrangements. It has also committed to introduce a publicly accessible register of beneficial ownership (PARBO).BVIG has passed the primary legislation required to enable the creation of a PARBO that would comply with the standards set out in a written ministerial statement (HCWS369) of 14 December 2020. How BVI seeks to recoup the costs of operating their PARBO will be a matter for the Territory Government.BVIG is assessing its timeline for implementation in light of the November 2022 Court of Justice of the European Union judgment. The UK Government is engaging BVIG on the issues raised by this judgment and providing technical assistance, most recently at the UK-OT Beneficial Ownership Transparency Technical Working Group on 10 October. We will confirm the timeline with the British Virgin Islands and other Overseas Territories at the Joint Ministerial Council scheduled for 14-15 November.

Turks and Caicos Islands: Companies

Dame Margaret Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the Turks and Caicos Islands' implementation of publicly accessible registers of company beneficial ownership in line with the Draft Order in Council prepared by the Secretary of State to comply with the requirement under section 51 of the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018; whether the Territory has (a) introduced and (b) passed the legislation required for the creation of a publicly accessible register of company beneficial ownership; whether the register will be (i) open and (ii) free at point of access; and when the register will be (A) live and (B) operational.

David Rutley: The Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCIG) already shares confidential information on company beneficial ownership with UK law enforcement under the Exchange of Notes Arrangements. It has also committed to introduce a publicly accessible register of beneficial ownership (PARBO).TCIG is identifying the necessary modifications to its legislative regime to enable the creation of a PARBO that would comply with the standards set out in a written ministerial statement (HCWS369) of 14 December 2020. How TCI seeks to recoup the costs of operating their PARBO will be a matter for the Territory Government.TCIG is assessing its timeline for implementation in light of the November 2022 Court of Justice of the European Union judgment. The UK Government is engaging TCIG on the issues raised by this judgment and providing technical assistance, most recently at the UK-OT Beneficial Ownership Transparency Technical Working Group on 10 October. We will confirm the timeline with the Turks and Caicos Islands and other Overseas Territories at the Joint Ministerial Council scheduled for 14-15 November.

Cyprus: Companies

Dame Margaret Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia's implementation of publicly accessible registers of company beneficial ownership in line with the Draft Order in Council prepared by the Secretary of State to comply with the requirement under section 51 of the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018; whether the Territory has (a) introduced and (b) passed the legislation required for the creation of a publicly accessible register of company beneficial ownership; whether the register will be (i) open and (ii) free at point of access; and when the register will be (A) live and (B) operational.

David Rutley: The Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia (SBAs) are currently identifying whether any modifications to its legislative regime are required and the UK Government is providing technical assistance.

Pitcairn Islands: Companies

Dame Margaret Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands' implementation of publicly accessible registers of company beneficial ownership in line with the Draft Order in Council prepared by the Secretary of State to comply with the requirement under section 51 of the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018; whether that Territory has (a) introduced and (b) passed the legislation required for the creation of a publicly accessible register of company beneficial ownership; whether the register will be (i) open and (ii) free at point of access; and when the register will be (A) live and (B) operational.

David Rutley: The Government of the Pitcairn Islands (PG) has committed to introduce a publicly accessible register of beneficial ownership (PARBO).PG is identifying the necessary modifications to its legislative regime to enable the creation of a PARBO that would comply with the standards set out in a written ministerial statement (HCWS369) of 14 December 2020. How the Pitcairn Islands seeks to recoup the costs of operating their PARBO will be a matter for the Territory Government.PG is assessing its timeline for implementation in light of ongoing constraints on capacity and expertise. The UK Government is providing technical assistance. We will confirm the timeline with Pitcairn and other Overseas Territories at the Joint Ministerial Council scheduled for 14-15 November.

British Indian Ocean Territory: Companies

Dame Margaret Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the British Indian Ocean Territory's implementation of publicly accessible registers of company beneficial ownership in line with the Draft Order in Council prepared by the Secretary of State to comply with the requirement under section 51 of the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018; whether the Territory has (a) introduced and (b) passed the legislation required for the creation of a publicly accessible register of company beneficial ownership; whether the register will be (i) open and (ii) free at point of access; and when the register will be (A) live and (B) operational.

David Rutley: The standards set out for Overseas Territory publicly accessible registers of beneficial ownership, in a written ministerial statement (HCWS369) of 14 December 2020, apply to a Territory if there exists one or more companies in relation to which information would be included in a compliant PARBO, if such a register did exist.No companies exist in the British Indian Ocean Territory.

British Antarctic Territory: Companies

Dame Margaret Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the British Antarctic Territory's implementation of publicly accessible registers of company beneficial ownership in line with the Draft Order in Council prepared by the Secretary of State to comply with the requirement under section 51 of the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018; whether the Territory has (a) introduced and (b) passed the legislation required for the creation of a publicly accessible register of company beneficial ownership; whether the register will be (i) open and (ii) free at point of access; and when the register will be (A) live and (B) operational.

David Rutley: The standards set out for Overseas Territory publicly accessible registers of beneficial ownership, in a written ministerial statement (HCWS369) of 14 December 2020, apply to a Territory if there exists one or more companies in relation to which information would be included in a compliant PARBO, if such a register did exist.No companies exist in the British Antarctic Territory.

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands: Companies

Dame Margaret Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands' implementation of publicly accessible registers of company beneficial ownership in line with the Draft Order in Council prepared by the Secretary of State to comply with the requirement under section 51 of the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018; whether the Territory has (a) introduced and (b) passed the legislation required for the creation of a publicly accessible register of company beneficial ownership; whether the register will be (i) open and (ii) free at point of access; and when the register will be (A) live and (B) operational.

David Rutley: The standards set out for Overseas Territory publicly accessible registers of beneficial ownership, in a written ministerial statement (HCWS369) of 14 December 2020, apply to a Territory if there exists one or more companies in relation to which information would be included in a compliant PARBO, if such a register did exist.No companies exist in South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.

Saudi Arabia: Human Rights

Chris Law: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has reviewed the Saudi Arabia's human rights record ahead of the Crown Prince’s planned visit to the UK.

Chris Law: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to have discussions on Saudi Arabia's human rights (a) record and (b) ongoing situation with the Crown Prince during his planned visit to the UK.

David Rutley: Saudi Arabia remains an FCDO Human Rights Priority Country. Our latest published assessment of human rights in Saudi Arabia can be found in the 2022 FCDO Human Rights and Democracy Report. Our relationship with Saudi Arabia enables us to engage candidly on human rights. The Minister for the Middle East, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, regularly discusses human rights with the Saudi authorities, including the Saudi Vice Foreign Minister and Saudi Ambassador in London. Lord Ahmad, senior HMG officials, and non-governmental figures and organisations engaged in constructive dialogue with the Saudi Human Rights Commission during their first official visit to the UK on 26-29 September. We will continue to discuss human rights with the Saudi authorities through a range of Ministerial and official channels.

St Helena: Companies

Dame Margaret Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha's implementation of publicly accessible registers of company beneficial ownership in line with the Draft Order in Council prepared by the Secretary of State to comply with the requirement under section 51 of the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018; whether the Territory has (a) introduced and (b) passed the legislation required for the creation of a publicly accessible register of company beneficial ownership; whether the register will be (i) open and (ii) free at point of access; and when the register will be (A) live and (B) operational.

David Rutley: The Government of St. Helena (SHG) has committed to introduce a publicly accessible register of beneficial ownership (PARBO).SHG is preparing a draft Bill to enable the creation of a PARBO that would comply with the standards set out in a written ministerial statement (HCWS369) of 14 December 2020. How St. Helena seeks to recoup the costs of operating their PARBO will be a matter for the Territory Government.SHG is assessing its timeline for implementation in light of ongoing constraints on capacity and expertise. The UK Government is providing technical assistance, most recently at the UK-OT Beneficial Ownership Transparency Technical Working Group on 10 October. We will confirm the timeline with St. Helena and other Overseas Territories at the Joint Ministerial Council scheduled for 14-15 November.

Montserrat: Companies

Dame Margaret Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of Montserrat's implementation of publicly accessible registers of company beneficial ownership in line with the Draft Order in Council prepared by the Secretary of State to comply with the requirement under section 51 of the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018; whether that Territory has (a) introduced and (b) passed the legislation required for the creation of a publicly accessible register of company beneficial ownership; whether the register will be (i) open and (ii) free at point of access; and when the register will be (A) live and (B) operational.

David Rutley: The Government of Montserrat (GoM) has committed to introduce a publicly accessible register of beneficial ownership (PARBO).Montserrat has recently completed consultations on a Bill; the Government expects to introduce this Bill to the House of Assembly in the current session. This Bill would enable the creation of a PARBO that would comply with the standards set out in a written ministerial statement (HCWS369) of 14 December 2020. How Montserrat seeks to recoup the costs of operating their PARBO will be a matter for the Territory Government.GoM is assessing its timeline for implementation in light of ongoing constraints on capacity and expertise. The UK Government is providing technical assistance, most recently at the UK-OT Beneficial Ownership Transparency Technical Working Group on 10 October. We will confirm the timeline with Montserrat and other Overseas Territories at the Joint Ministerial Council scheduled for 14-15 November.

Falkland Islands: Companies

Dame Margaret Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the Falkland Islands' implementation of publicly accessible registers of company beneficial ownership in line with the Draft Order in Council prepared by the Secretary of State to comply with the requirement under section 51 of the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018; whether that Territory has (a) introduced and (b) passed the legislation required for the creation of a publicly accessible register of company beneficial ownership; whether the register will be (i) open and (ii) free at point of access; and when the register will be (A) live and (B) operational.

David Rutley: The Government of the Falkland Islands (FIG) has committed to introduce a publicly accessible register of beneficial ownership (PARBO).FIG is identifying the necessary modifications to its legislative regime to enable the creation of a PARBO that would comply with the standards set out in a written ministerial statement (HCWS369) of 14 December 2020. How the Falkland Islands seeks to recoup the costs of operating their PARBO will be a matter for the Territory Government.FIG is assessing its timeline for implementation in light of ongoing constraints on capacity and expertise. The UK Government is providing technical assistance, most recently at the UK-OT Beneficial Ownership Transparency Technical Working Group on 10 October. We will confirm the timeline with the Falkland Islands and other Overseas Territories at the Joint Ministerial Council scheduled for 14-15 November.

Cayman Islands: Companies

Dame Margaret Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the Cayman Islands' implementation of publicly accessible registers of company beneficial ownership in line with the Draft Order in Council prepared by the Secretary of State to comply with the requirement under section 51 of the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018; whether that Territory has (a) introduced and (b) passed the legislation required for the creation of a publicly accessible register of company beneficial ownership; whether the register will be (i) open and (ii) free at point of access; and when the register will be (A) live and (B) operational.

David Rutley: The Government of the Cayman Islands (CIG) already shares confidential information on company beneficial ownership with UK law enforcement under the Exchange of Notes Arrangements. It has also committed to introduce a publicly accessible register of beneficial ownership (PARBO).CIG has published a draft Bill, to be introduced in the current session of the Parliament of the Cayman Islands, to enable the creation of a PARBO that would comply with the standards set out in a written ministerial statement (HCWS369) of 14 December 2020. How Cayman seeks to recoup the costs of operating their PARBO will be a matter for the Territory Government.CIG is assessing its timeline for implementation in light of the November 2022 Court of Justice of the European Union judgment. The UK Government is engaging CIG on the issues raised by the judgment and providing technical assistance, most recently at the UK-OT Beneficial Ownership Transparency Technical Working Group on 10 October. We will confirm the timeline with Cayman and other Overseas Territories at the Joint Ministerial Council scheduled for 14-15 November.

Commonwealth: Flags

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will have discussions with Cabinet colleagues on the potential merits of flying the Commonwealth flag on (a) Government buildings and (b) national monuments all year round.

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he has made an assessment of the potential merits of flying the Commonwealth flag on British (a) high commission and (b) embassy buildings.

David Rutley: The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) flies the Commonwealth flag on its UK estate for the week starting the second Monday in March to celebrate Commonwealth Day, and our Posts in Commonwealth countries can do the same where the Post has sufficient flagpoles to do so. It is not our practice to fly, on a permanent basis, the flags of organisations of which the UK is a member. FCDO flag policy is reviewed on an annual basis.

Bermuda: Companies

Dame Margaret Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of Bermuda's implementation of publicly accessible registers of company beneficial ownership in line with the Draft Order in Council prepared by the Secretary of State to comply with the requirement under section 51 of the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018; whether the Territory has (a) introduced and (b) passed the legislation required for the creation of a publicly accessible register of company beneficial ownership; whether the register will be (i) open and (ii) free at point of access; and when the register will be (A) live and (B) operational.

David Rutley: The Government of Bermuda (GoB) already shares confidential information on company beneficial ownership with UK law enforcement under the Exchange of Notes Arrangements. It has also committed to introduce a publicly accessible register of beneficial ownership (PARBO).The GoB is identifying the necessary modifications to its legislative regime to enable the creation of a PARBO that would comply with the standards set out in a written ministerial statement (HCWS369) of 14 December 2020. How Bermuda seeks to recoup the costs of operating their PARBO will be a matter for the Territory Government.The GoB is assessing its timeline for implementation in light of the November 2022 Court of Justice of the European Union judgment. The UK Government is engaging GoB on the issues raised by that judgment and providing technical assistance, most recently at the UK-OT Beneficial Ownership Transparency Technical Working Group on 10 October. We will confirm the timeline with Bermuda and other Overseas Territories at the Joint Ministerial Council scheduled for 14-15 November.

Anguilla: Companies

Dame Margaret Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of Anguilla's implementation of publicly accessible registers of company beneficial ownership in line with the Draft Order in Council prepared by the Secretary of State to comply with the requirement under section 51 of the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018; whether the Territory has (a) introduced and (b) passed the legislation required for the creation of a publicly accessible register of company beneficial ownership; whether the register will be (i) open and (ii) free at point of access; and when the register will be (A) live and (B) operational.

David Rutley: The Government of Anguilla (GoA) shares confidential information on company beneficial ownership with UK law enforcement under the Exchange of Notes Arrangements. It has also committed to introduce a publicly accessible register of beneficial ownership (PARBO).The GoA has passed the relevant primary legislation, and enacted the majority of secondary legislation, required for the creation of a PARBO that would comply with the standards set out in a Written Ministerial Statement (HCWS369) of 14 December 2020. How Anguilla seeks to recoup the costs of operating its PARBO will be a matter for the Territory Government.The GoA is assessing its timeline for implementation in light of the November 2022 Court of Justice of the European Union judgment. The UK Government is engaging GoA on the issues raised by that judgment and providing technical assistance, most recently at the UK-OT Beneficial Ownership Transparency Technical Working Group on 10 October. We will confirm the timeline with Anguilla and other Overseas Territories at the Joint Ministerial Council scheduled for 14-15 November.

Antimicrobials: Drug Resistance

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what his Department’s priorities are when allocating funding to curb antimicrobial resistance (AMR); and with reference to the recommendations of the UK's Special Envoy on AMR and the CEO of WaterAid UK, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of changing priorities to favour spending on the improvement of water, sanitation and hygiene infrastructure in healthcare facilities.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) is a priority for the UK Government. We recently announced up to £210 million for the Fleming Fund. Improvements in water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) to prevent infections, including WASH in health care facilities, is critically important. The UK-funded Hygiene and Behaviour Change Coalition supported 14,800 facilities with WASH supplies and trained 460,000 health workers on hygiene improvements. UK bilateral ODA WASH spend totalled £46 million in 2022. Multilaterals spend was £63 million in 2021. In our ODA funding decisions, we seek to achieve multiple benefits, including through our investments in WASH.

Sudan: Armed Conflict

Deidre Brock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic discussions he has had with his counterparts in (a) African Union, (b) United Nations and (c) other countries on reaching a sustained ceasefire in Sudan.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: The UK is working with a range of partners, including Quad (Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, US, UK), African and European countries, as well as the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, the African Union and the United Nations, to bring warring parties together and secure a permanent ceasefire. As a member of the African Union-convened Core Group on Sudan, the UK is working with regional and international partners to end hostilities and secure a peace process. UK Ministers attended the UN General Assembly in September, hosting a Ministerial-level Quad meeting reaffirming our shared interests in resolving the Sudan conflict. Ministers also raised Sudan in bilateral meetings with Egypt and South Sudan, paying tribute to their generosity in accepting refugees and calling for urgent action and the coordination of regional initiatives. UK leadership with 'Sudan Core Group' partners at the UN Human Rights Council led to a robust resolution on Sudan being passed. This resolution establishes an independent, international, Fact-Finding Mission (FFM) for Sudan so that those responsible can be held to account and to deter perpetrators from further crime.

Saudi Arabia: Human Rights

Kirsten Oswald: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has conducted a review of Saudi Arabia's human rights record ahead of the Crown Prince’s planned visit to the UK.

Kirsten Oswald: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to discuss Saudi Arabia's human rights (a) record and (b) ongoing situation with the Crown Prince during his planned visit to the UK.

David Rutley: Saudi Arabia remains an FCDO Human Rights Priority Country. Our latest published assessment of human rights in Saudi Arabia can be found in the 2022 FCDO Human Rights and Democracy Report. Our relationship with Saudi Arabia enables us to engage candidly on human rights. The Minister for the Middle East, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, regularly discusses human rights with the Saudi authorities, including the Saudi Vice Foreign Minister and Saudi Ambassador in London. Lord Ahmad, senior HMG officials, and non-governmental figures and organisations engaged in constructive dialogue with the Saudi Human Rights Commission during their first official visit to the UK on 26-29 September. We will continue to discuss human rights with the Saudi authorities through a range of Ministerial and official channels.

Climate Change: Developing Countries

Ian Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the resolution agreed at COP27 to establish a loss and damage fund to assist countries that are more affected by climate change, if he will have discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the potential merits of a tax on companies with higher carbon emissions to help fund the UK's contribution to the loss and damage fund.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: The UK is committed to making progress on a loss and damage fund that supports those particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change. Maximising support to this end is critical. The UK believes this requires the fund to have a wide contributor base and be open to a range of sources of finance, including public, private, and innovative. As noted at the third Loss and Damage Transitional Committee meeting (29 Aug - 1 Sep), the UK is open to considering new ideas for innovative finance options.

Zimbabwe: British Nationals Abroad

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many British nationals have requested consular assistance in Zimbabwe in each of the last five years.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) provided consular assistance in Zimbabwe in 22 new cases in 2018, 34 new cases in 2019, 76 new cases in 2020, 33 new cases in 2021, 33 new cases in 2022, and 19 new cases to 16 October 2023.

South Africa: Politics and Government

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of levels of support for an independence referendum in the Western Cape.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: The UK supports the territorial integrity of the Republic of South Africa. Our policy towards South Africa is focussed on building on our strong partnership. We will continue to engage with South Africa across the breadth of our bilateral priorities.

Zimbabwe: Foreign Relations

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of UK relations with Zimbabwe; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: The UK is committed to maintaining a constructive dialogue with the Government of Zimbabwe which will enable us to pursue shared interests, support Zimbabwe's most vulnerable people, and deepen our strong people-to-people links and raise issues relating to human rights and corruption. We would like to see the Government of Zimbabwe meet its international and domestic obligations by respecting the rule of law, safeguarding human rights, and delivering political and economic reform for the benefit of all Zimbabweans. I [Andrew Mitchell] recently made a statement on 31 August highlighting the UK's issues surrounding Zimbabwe's Elections.

Saudi Arabia: Human Rights

Richard Thomson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has reviewed the Saudi Arabia's human rights record ahead of the Crown Prince’s planned visit to the UK.

Richard Thomson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to have discussions with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia on that country's human rights situation during his planned visit to the UK.

David Rutley: Saudi Arabia remains an FCDO Human Rights Priority Country. Our latest published assessment of human rights in Saudi Arabia can be found in the 2022 FCDO Human Rights and Democracy Report. Our relationship with Saudi Arabia enables us to engage candidly on human rights. The Minister for the Middle East, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, regularly discusses human rights with the Saudi authorities, including the Saudi Vice Foreign Minister and Saudi Ambassador in London. Lord Ahmad, senior HMG officials, and non-governmental figures and organisations engaged in constructive dialogue with the Saudi Human Rights Commission during their first official visit to the UK on 26-29 September. We will continue to discuss human rights with the Saudi authorities through a range of Ministerial and official channels.

Developing Countries: Climate Change

Patrick Grady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Government's pledge to spend £11.6 billion on international climate finance between 2021 and 2026, what steps his Department plans to take to support the delivery of that pledge.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: We are delivering on our commitment to spend £11.6 billion International Climate Finance (ICF). The Written Ministerial Statement on International Climate Finance published on 17 October showed that we spent over £3.2 billion ICF in 2021/22 and 2022/23. It also sets out the trajectory of spend for the remaining three years of the pledge, providing all-important certainty and predictability for our developing country partners.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Zimbabwe

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many of his Department's officials are stationed in Zimbabwe as of 13 October 2023.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: 10-19 UK-based officials from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office are posted to the British Embassy in Harare, working alongside country-based staff. FCDO headcount data is provided in bands in line with FCDO headcount data release policies.

Sudan: Humanitarian Situation

Deidre Brock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government is taking as penholder for Sudan on the UN Security Council to (a) tackle the humanitarian situation in Sudan and (b) help ensure that human rights abuses are properly investigated.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: We are working with international partners and humanitarian agencies to scale-up aid delivery in Sudan and neighbouring countries if and when the access situation improves, and through our ongoing work in the neighbouring countries and the UN. On 2 June the UK secured unanimous Security Council support for the renewal of the UN Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS) which is leading coordination of international humanitarian efforts. We will look to renew its mandate further by 3 December. As Chair of the 'Sudan Core Group' (US, Norway, Germany, UK), we led on a UN Human Rights Council resolution, adopted on 11 October, which established an independent, international, Fact-Finding Mission for Sudan to investigate atrocities committed by all sides.

Saudi Arabia: Human Rights

Chris Law: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the human rights situation in Saudi Arabia; and whether he has raised that matter with his Saudi Arabian counterpart.

David Rutley: It is a long-established precedent that information about the discussions that have taken place in Cabinet and its Committees, and how often they have met, is not normally shared publicly. Saudi Arabia remains an FCDO Human Rights Priority Country. We will continue to discuss human rights with the Saudi authorities through a range of Ministerial and official channels.

Development Aid

Drew Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the target of spending 0.7% of GDP on Official Development Assistance.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: The government's commitment to returning Official Development Assistance (ODA) spending to 0.7% of Gross National Income (GNI) once the fiscal situation allows is well established: when, on a sustainable basis, the government is no longer borrowing for day-to-day spending and underlying debt is falling. MPs voted in support of this approach in July 2021. ODA spending will remain at around 0.5% of GNI until these fiscal principles have been met.

Developing Countries: Climate Change

Patrick Grady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the reduction in the annual aid budget on the UK's ability to fulfill its commitment to support developing countries to tackle climate change, as announced on 21 September 2023.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: We are delivering on our commitment to spend £11.6 billion International Climate Finance (ICF). The Written Ministerial Statement on International Climate Finance published on 17 October showed that we spent over £3.2 billion ICF in 2021/22 and 2022/23. It also sets out the trajectory of spend for the remaining three years of the pledge, providing all-important certainty and predictability for our developing country partners.

Saudi Arabia: Human Rights

Richard Thomson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the human rights situation in Saudi Arabia; and whether he has raised that matter with his Saudi Arabian counterpart.

David Rutley: It is a long-established precedent that information about the discussions that have taken place in Cabinet and its Committees, and how often they have met, is not normally shared publicly. Saudi Arabia remains an FCDO Human Rights Priority Country. We will continue to discuss human rights with the Saudi authorities through a range of Ministerial and official channels.

British Virgin Islands: Taiwan

James Sunderland: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, for what reason his Department has not approved the draft Tax Information Exchange Agreement negotiated between the British Virgin Islands and Taiwan.

David Rutley: The UK Government is discussing, with the Government of the British Virgin Islands, the development of a draft Tax Information Exchange Arrangement between the British Virgin Islands and Taiwan. It would not be appropriate to comment on this publicly before these discussions have concluded. The UK Government welcomes the ongoing cooperation of the British Virgins Islands in this matter.

Developing Countries: Climate Change

Patrick Grady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has made an assessment of the impact of the Government's climate finance spending on climate vulnerable countries.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: The recently published ICF Results (assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/651fb0a97309a1000db0a99e/UK_International-Climate-Finance_Results_2023_rev.pdf) report shows that more than a 100 million people in developing countries have been directly supported to adapt to the effects of climate change through UK International Climate Finance. In addition, almost 70 million people and over 250 institutions have been provided with improved access to clean energy. At COP27 the UK committed to triple its adaptation climate finance from £500 million in 2019 to £1.5 billion in 2025. The UK also committed to helping climate vulnerable countries to better access finance through a new approach being pioneered by the UK co-led Taskforce on Access to Climate Finance.

Nigeria: Diphtheria

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the recent diptheria outbreak in Nigeria.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: The UK's Global Health Framework sets out our commitment to supporting countries to prevent and respond to health threats, including diphtheria, and we are closely monitoring the recent diphtheria outbreak in Nigeria. The UK Health Security Agency is supporting the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control to tackle the diphtheria outbreak by providing training and supplies to strengthen laboratory diagnosis. Through our Lafiya health programme, we have provided technical assistance for emergency preparedness in affected states to improve their ability to respond to the outbreak. Our assistance has also supported states to accelerate routine immunisation against diphtheria, helping prevent further spread.

Israel: Hamas

Sir Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Prime Minister’s oral contribution of 16 October 2023, Official Report, column 24, what steps the Government plans to take to help ensure that Israel's actions to defend itself are in line with international humanitarian law.

David Rutley: The UK is steadfast in its position that all states should uphold international humanitarian law, and we call on our friends and partners to do so. Israel has the right to defend itself proportionately, and its military operations must be conducted in accordance with International Humanitarian Law. Civilians must be respected and protected. Both the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary have, in their discussions with their Israeli counterparts, emphasised the importance of taking all possible measures to protect innocent civilians. Israeli President Isaac Herzog has stated that Israel will operate in accordance with international law.

Saudi Arabia: Human Rights

Patrick Grady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with cabinet colleagues about human rights in Saudi Arabia; and whether he has raised these issues with his Saudi Arabian counterpart.

David Rutley: It is a long-established precedent that information about the discussions that have taken place in Cabinet and its Committees, and how often they have met, is not normally shared publicly. Saudi Arabia remains an FCDO Human Rights Priority Country. We will continue to discuss human rights with the Saudi authorities through a range of Ministerial and official channels.

Gaza

Marsha De Cordova: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with which UK-based humanitarian organisations he has held discussions on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

David Rutley: The UK is calling for immediate unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza so that essential aid, including food, water, fuel and medical supplies, can reach civilian populations. The UK is also calling on all parties to protect border crossings to support safe humanitarian access and mitigate harm to civilians. The FCDO is actively engaging with the international humanitarian system (including UN agencies, Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs), Non-Governmental Organization (NGOs), and Civil Society Organisations) to address the current humanitarian crisis in Gaza. On 19 October, the Foreign Secretary visited the region where he will meet leaders in Egypt, Turkey and Qatar and push for agreement on humanitarian access to Gaza, the release of British hostages and foreign nationals, and securing safe passage for British Nationals to leave Gaza.

Gaza: Development Aid

Kenny MacAskill: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much aid his Department has provided for projects in Gaza since 2000.

Kenny MacAskill: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much (a) aid and (b) other assistance (i) his Department and (ii) other UK-based organisations have sent to Gaza in each year since 2020.

David Rutley: The FCDO aid budget is allocated in accordance with UK strategic priorities against a challenging financial climate. The UK remains a long-standing supporter of the Middle East Peace Process. There is a robust framework in place for allocating Official Development Assistance (ODA). Data on ODA spend in the Occupied Palestinian Territories is available on DevTracker. More than 80 per cent of our ODA spend this year of UK support will be used to meet humanitarian need, or to provide vital health, education, and protection services for Palestinian Refugees.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Mauritius

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to visit Mauritius in the next 12 months.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: It is long-standing policy not to comment on Ministerial travel. To do so could compromise the integrity of protective security arrangements and affect the safety of the individuals involved.

Gaza

Marsha De Cordova: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has received legal advice on the Israeli Government's recent military operations in Gaza.

David Rutley: The Foreign Secretary and his ministerial team receive legal advice on all matters related to foreign policy, including the unfolding situation Israel and Gaza. The UK Government is closely following the security situation in the Middle East and maintains a regular dialogue with international counterparts. We will continue to use all the tools of British diplomacy to sustain the prospects of peace and stability in the region.

Saudi Arabia: Human Rights

Patrick Grady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has made an assessment of the adequacy of the Saudi Arabian human rights record in preparation for the visit by the Crown Prince of that country.

Patrick Grady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to make representations on the human rights situation in Saudi Arabia with the Crown Prince of that country during his visit.

David Rutley: Saudi Arabia remains an FCDO Human Rights Priority Country. Our latest published assessment of human rights in Saudi Arabia can be found in the 2022 FCDO Human Rights and Democracy Report. Our relationship with Saudi Arabia enables us to engage candidly on human rights. The Minister for the Middle East, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, regularly discusses human rights with the Saudi authorities, including the Saudi Vice Foreign Minister and Saudi Ambassador in London. Lord Ahmad, senior HMG officials, and non-governmental figures and organisations engaged in constructive dialogue with the Saudi Human Rights Commission during their first official visit to the UK on 26-29 September. We will continue to discuss human rights with the Saudi authorities through a range of Ministerial and official channels.

West Bank: Demolition

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has made representations to the Israeli Government on the demolition orders issued on 17 May 2023 to six families in the Ein Juweza district of Al-Wallajah; to make it his policy to call on the Israeli Government to rescind the demolition orders; to ask what recent discussions he has had with the Israeli Government on urban development and planning in Al-Walajah; and if he will make a statement.

David Rutley: As I [Minister Rutley] said in the House of Commons on 18 July, the UK is clear that in all but the most exceptional of circumstances, demolitions and evictions are contrary to international humanitarian law. Our opposition to the demolition of Palestinian property is long-standing. The practice causes unnecessary suffering and is harmful to efforts to promote peace. We repeatedly call on Israel to abide by its obligations under international law and have a regular dialogue with Israel on legal issues relating to the occupation. The Minister of State for the Middle East, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon continues to reiterate this position to Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen and Israel's Ambassador to the UK, Tzipi Hotovely. On 13 September, the Foreign Secretary met Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh in Ramallah where he acknowledged apprehensions over continued Israeli settlement expansion, demolitions and evictions in the West Bank.

Gaza: British Nationals Abroad

Kenny MacAskill: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent estimate he has made of the number of UK nationals in Gaza.

David Rutley: We have asked British nationals in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including Gaza, to register their presence with the FCDO and we remain in touch with those who have done so.

Gaza

Marsha De Cordova: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Israeli counterpart on humanitarian access to Gaza.

David Rutley: The UK is calling for immediate unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza so that essential aid can reach civilian populations including food, water, fuel and medical supplies. The UK is also calling on all parties to protect border crossings to support safe humanitarian access and mitigate harm to civilians. The Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary have raised this with their Israeli counterparts. The FCDO is actively engaging with the international humanitarian system to address the current humanitarian crisis in Gaza. On 16 October, the Prime Minister announced a £10 million package of support for Palestinian civilians.

Saudi Arabia: Human Rights

Kirsten Oswald: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the human rights situation in Saudi Arabia.

David Rutley: It is a long-established precedent that information about the discussions that have taken place in Cabinet and its Committees, and how often they have met, is not normally shared publicly. Saudi Arabia remains an FCDO Human Rights Priority Country. We will continue to discuss human rights with the Saudi authorities through a range of Ministerial and official channels.

Israel: Embassies

Kenny MacAskill: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many staff work at the UK embassy in Israel.

David Rutley: Both our Embassy in Tel Aviv and Consulate in Jerusalem remain staffed and continue to provide consular services to British nationals who require assistance. A Rapid Deployment Team has also been sent to Israel to bolster the efforts of British consular officials.

Terrorism: Northern Ireland

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will take steps to seek compensation for the victims of Libyan-sponsored IRA terrorism.

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he (a) has taken and (b) plans to take steps with the Government of Libya to compensate people affected by acts of terrorism perpetrated by the IRA using Libyan-supplied weapons.

David Rutley: The UK Government reiterates its sympathy for UK victims of Qaddafi-sponsored terrorism, and indeed all victims of the Troubles. The UK Government set out its position on Mr Shawcross's report on compensation for UK victims in a Written Ministerial Statement made on 23 March 2021. The responsibility for providing compensation specifically for the actions of the former Qaddafi regime lies with the Libyan State and the UK Government has repeatedly urged the Libyan authorities to engage with UK victims and their representatives, and to address their claims for compensation.

British Indian Ocean Territory

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much his Department spent on the maintenance of British assets in the British Indian Ocean Territory in each of the last five years.

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much his Department has spent on the (a) management and (b) enforcement of the British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Islands) Marine Protected Area in each of the last five years.

David Rutley: The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) provides funding to the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) Administration, for the good governance of the Territory, which includes the maintenance of British assets, and the management and enforcement of the Marine Protected Area. The total amount of funding provided to BIOT in each financial year is as follows:Financial Year (FY) 22-23 - £19,100,000FY 21-22 - £4,000,000FY 20-21 - £5,499,160.23FY 19-20 - £4,738,876FY 18-19 - £9,612,000

Gaza: British Nationals Abroad

Kenny MacAskill: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with his Israeli counterpart on taking steps to ensure (a) the safety and (b) safe passage for UK nationals in the Gaza Strip.

David Rutley: The safety of all British nationals continues to be our utmost priority and we have asked British nationals in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including Gaza, to register their presence so that we can share important updates with them. British nationals should continue to check our travel advice which is kept under continual review. The Foreign Secretary continues to engage regularly and closely with his Israeli counterpart, including in relation to ensuring safe passage for British Nationals from Gaza.

Israel: Hamas

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the role of hostile third-party states in Hamas's recent attacks on Israel.

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of reports that Iranian officials aided Hamas in its attack on Israel.

David Rutley: The UK is clear that Hamas is fully responsible for these appalling acts of terror in Israel. We are also clear that Iran poses an unacceptable threat to Israel. We have long condemned Iran's destabilising activity throughout the region, including its political, financial and military support to several militant and proscribed groups, including Hamas, Hezbollah and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Such activity compromises the region's security, its ability to prosper and escalates already high tensions. We work closely with our partners to hold Iran to account, and we currently have over 350 sanctions in place against the Iranian regime. We expect to see total international condemnation of the atrocities committed by Hamas. The UK Government will continue to stand with Israel as it faces pressing challenges to its security.

Libya: Terrorism

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of publishing the 2020 Report on Victim Compensation for Gaddafi-sponsored IRA terrorism..

David Rutley: The UK Government has profound sympathy for UK victims of Qadhafi-sponsored IRA terrorism and indeed for all victims of the Troubles. The Government set out its position on Mr Shawcross's report on compensation for UK victims of Qadhafi-sponsored IRA terrorism in a Written Ministerial Statement made on 23 March 2021. As it was commissioned as an internal scoping report to provide internal advice to ministers, and draws on private and confidential conversations, the government will not be publishing the report. The responsibility for providing compensation specifically for the actions of the Qadhafi regime lies with the Libyan State.

Gaza

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has received legal advice on the Israeli Government's (a) evacuation order issued on 12 October 2023 to civilians and (b) recent military operations in Gaza.

David Rutley: The Foreign Secretary and his ministerial team receive legal advice on all matters related to foreign policy, including the unfolding situation Israel and Gaza. The UK Government is closely following the security situation in the Middle East and maintains a regular dialogue with international counterparts. We will continue to use all the tools of British diplomacy to sustain the prospects of peace and stability in the region.

Sierra Leone: Politics and Government

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what reports he has received of the political situation in Sierra Leone since the June elections.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: The UK has engaged stakeholders including the government, opposition, election bodies, regional partners and the international community in the months leading up to, during and after the elections. We have given consistent messages about the importance of free, fair and peaceful elections, good governance and the rule of law. The Foreign Secretary raised these issues during his visit to Sierra Leone in March and in a telephone call with President Bio (7 August). It remains vital that Sierra Leone's political leaders engage with efforts to support the democratic process. We remain committed to supporting the aspirations of the Sierra Leonean people.

Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment the Government has made of the benefits of the international work of Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance; and if he will take steps to support that alliance in the future.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically impacted global health and immunisation. The UK Government is committed to supporting efforts to get routine immunisation back on track and has invested £1.65 billion to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance from 2021-2025 to support their mission to immunise 300 million children and save up to 8 million lives from vaccine preventable diseases over this period. The UK has supported Gavi since its inception in 2000, during which time Gavi has vaccinated more than 1 billion children in 78 lower-income countries, saving over 17 million lives. Alongside our Gavi investment, we are working with countries to build stronger primary health care systems as a core part of restoring immunisation services.

Africa: HIV Infection

Conor McGinn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help reduce levels of deaths from AIDS in Africa.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: The UK's pledge to the 7th replenishment of the Global Fund will help to save over 1 million lives. We also continue to support UNAIDS to deliver on its mandate to provide effective leadership for the global HIV response and implement the ambitious new Global AIDS Strategy. The UK continues to fund other key international partners, including UNITAID, the Robert Carr Fund, the Global Financing Facility and others on combatting HIV and AIDS in Africa.

European Convention on Human Rights

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of a referendum on the UK's membership of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: The UK has a longstanding tradition of ensuring rights and liberties are protected domestically and of fulfilling our international human rights obligations. The Government remains committed to a human rights framework that is up to date, fit for purpose, and works for the British people. We believe our Rwanda Partnership and the Illegal Migration Act will deliver the changes necessary to take away the incentive for people to risk their lives through illegal crossings, while complying with our international treaty obligations. We are confident in our legal case that will shortly be decided in the Supreme Court.

Attorney General

HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Attorney General, how much HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Michael Tomlinson: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service.The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance.The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.

Serious Fraud Office: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Attorney General, how much the Serious Fraud Office spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Michael Tomlinson: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service.The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance.The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.

Government Legal Department: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Attorney General, how much the Government Legal Department spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Michael Tomlinson: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service.The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance.The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.

Crown Prosecution Service: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Attorney General, how much the Crown Prosecution Service spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Michael Tomlinson: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service.The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance.The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.

Attorney General: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Attorney General, how much their Department spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-2023 financial year.

Michael Tomlinson: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service.The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance.The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.

Hate Crime: Prosecutions

Mark Logan: To ask the Attorney General, what steps she is taking to ensure that the Crown Prosecution Service is adequately resourced to prosecute hate crime against members of religious minority communities (a) on social media and (b) in community settings.

Victoria Prentis: The Government is committed to delivering justice for victims of hate crimes committed in our communities and online, and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) considers all cases referred by the police.Considering the events unfolding in the Middle East, a package of measures has been put in place to provide ongoing support to the police. This includes updating existing guidance on protests and offering the use of prosecutors in command centres to advise in real time.In the rolling year to March 2023, the CPS has prosecuted 380 religiously aggravated and 9,1234 racially aggravated hate crime offences, with a charge rate of 85% and 87% respectively. These include aggravated malicious communication offences.

Crown Prosecution Service: Women

Patricia Gibson: To ask the Attorney General, what proportion of civil servants graded as senior civil servant two (SCS2) on full-time equivalent contracts in the Crown Prosecution Service are women.

Michael Tomlinson: 43% of civil servants graded as senior civil servants (SCS2) on full-time equivalent contracts in the Crown Prosecution Service are women.

Crown Prosecution Service: Women

Patricia Gibson: To ask the Attorney General, what proportion of civil servants on temporary contracts in the Crown Prosecution Service are women.

Michael Tomlinson: 64% of civil servants on temporary contracts in the Crown Prosecution Service are women.

Coronavirus Act 2020: Prosecutions

Julian Knight: To ask the Attorney General, whether the Crown Protection Service is continuing to consider new cases involving potential breaches of the Coronavirus Act 2020.

Michael Tomlinson: The Coronavirus Act 2020 was time-limited for two years. Following commencement on 25 March 2020, the majority of the provisions (including criminal offences) expired on 25 March 2022. New prosecutions for the summary-only offences contained within the Act would therefore now be out of time.The police may continue to submit cases under the Coronavirus provisions, which the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) will review in line with the CPS Code for Prosecutors.

Attorney General: Written Questions

Julian Knight: To ask the Attorney General, when she plans to respond to Question 195131 on Attorney General: Remote Working, tabled by the hon. Member for Solihull on 19 July 2003.

Michael Tomlinson: A response to Question 195131 was provided to the Member on 16 October.This response was delayed due to a technical error - a matter which has been clarified with the Table Office.

War Crimes: Ukraine

Mark Logan: To ask the Attorney General, what recent steps she has taken to support the prosecution of alleged war crimes in Ukraine.

Victoria Prentis: Ukrainian Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin has opened more than 100,000 files into alleged crimes which he intends to take through the Ukrainian courts.I remain in regular contact with Prosecutor General Kostin. Alongside UK legal experts from inside and outside government, I am supporting the work of the Office of the Prosecutor General and the International Criminal Court to ensure allegations of war crimes are fully and fairly investigated, by independent, effective and robust legal mechanisms.The UK is also a founding member of the Atrocity Crimes Advisory Group, alongside the US and the EU, which works in the region with Ukraine to coordinate and provide additional support to Ukraine’s domestic prosecutions. We have also ensured to provide training and advisory support to Ukrainian judges and prosecutors across the region.The UK is committed to ensuring that those responsible for atrocities are held to account for their actions.

Serious Fraud Office

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Attorney General, how many corporate self-reports the Serious Fraud Office has received in each of the last five years.

Michael Tomlinson: In financial year 2018/19 the SFO received 7 corporate self-reports.In financial year 2019/20 the SFO received 6 corporate self-reports.In financial year 2020/21 the SFO received 3 corporate self-reports.In financial year 2021/22 the SFO received 8 corporate self-reports.In financial year 2022/23 the SFO received 8 corporate self-reports.

Ministry of Justice

Admir Abrija

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the transparency data entitled Ministry of Justice data: ministers hospitality, gifts, travel and meetings, January 2023 to March 2023, updated on 20 July 2023, what (a) was discussed at and (b) the actions were following the meeting with the Albanian prison director on the 21 March 2023.

Damian Hinds: A new Prisoner Transfer Agreement with Albania came into force in May 2022. A meeting between the Director General for prisons and the Minister for Prisons took place on 21 March 2023 where they discussed the Prisoner Transfer Agreement between the UK and Albania and Albania’s prison reform plans.

Probate: Applications

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 11 September 2023 to Question 197320 on Probate: Applications, how many and what proportion of probate applications took longer than 16 weeks to be processed in the latest period for which data is available.

Mike Freer: The proportion of cases taking longer than 16 weeks to be processed is 33% for the period of April to June 2023, which has reduced from 37% for the period from January to March 2023. The probate service received record levels of applications during 2022 and this has continued to grow with higher levels of receipts during January to June 2023 compared to the same period in 2022. Whilst HMCTS has increased resources to meet the higher demand the training and upskilling of those new and existing staff has led to applications taking longer in the short term. Average waiting times for probate grants are routinely published on gov.uk via Family Court Statistics Quarterly and currently cover the period up to June 2023.

Police Stations: Solicitors

Zarah Sultana: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of the reduction in the number of duty solicitors at police stations since 2017 on access to justice; and if he will take steps to increase the number of duty solicitors at police stations.

Mike Freer: The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) is satisfied that there continues to be sufficient duty solicitor coverage on the duty schemes operating across England and Wales. Provision under the duty schemes is demand led and so there may be variations in numbers across each local rota or other fluctuations in numbers depending on prevailing market conditions, and other internal factors such as firms merging or other consolidation activity. The LAA is responsible for commissioning duty solicitor services and the day-to-day administration of the court and police station duty schemes. This includes keeping membership records, allocating slots and producing and maintaining duty solicitor rotas. The LAA monitors membership across individual duty schemes. Information about duty solicitor volumes broken down by individual scheme is published as part of the LAA’s quarterly statistics. Additionally, there are 1,385 accredited police station representatives able to provide advice to individuals at the police station. At a national level, the LAA monitors capacity across criminal legal aid contracts on an ongoing basis and, where demand is greater than the available supply, takes action to secure additional provision to ensure the continuity of legal aid-funded services. More generally in relation to criminal legal aid we introduced a 15% uplift across most fee schemes in line with the recommendations made in the Criminal Legal Aid Independent Review, including the police station fee scheme. This funding began to come into effect from the end of September 2022, and we subsequently agreed to extend it to the majority of cases already progressing in the Crown Court. We are investing a further £16m into the police station scheme over 2024-25. Following these reforms, an increase in expenditure of up to £141 million a year will take expected annual criminal legal aid spend to £1.2 billion.Overall, our ambitious reforms will deliver a stronger justice system for all who rely on it. They will reinforce a more sustainable market, with publicly funded criminal defence practice seen as a viable long-term career choice befitting of our world-class legal professionals.

Ministry of Justice: Mental Health Services

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of contracting (a) rehabilitation, (b) therapy and (c) other similar services for frontline staff.

Damian Hinds: In full recognition of the challenging aspects of front-line prison and probations services-based work, His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) provides a wide range of formal contracted rehabilitation, therapy, physical and mental health support for its staff. The principal merits of external contracted services are firstly, that the robust Crown Service Commercial tender process requires a strict evaluation criterion and moderation exercise where all the evaluation forms and notes become public record. This means that the successful bidder has been selected fairly, on the merits of their service provision and without conflict of interest. As the largest individual customer of services through this framework, the Ministry of Justice takes a key role in defining the services that must be provided and the standards that contractors must meet before gaining access to the framework. Secondly, due to the wide geographically dispersed nature of our HMPPS working population across the UK with some overseas staff, it is imperative that the contractors are capable of delivering a range of services to 62,801 full time equivalent staff in post (HM Prison and Probation Service workforce quarterly: June 2023 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)). Thirdly, contractors are subject to a series of performance measures set by both the Crown Commercial Service and the department which are reported at set intervals and managed accordingly in order to ensure staff have rapid access to services. This allows regular evaluation of service quality and effectiveness but also ensures that the correct governance structures remain in place, such as GDPR for handling employee personal data and ensuring their data protection rights. Fourthly, the contracted model of employee health services benefits from impartiality, in that independent external clinical advice is given to the employee confidentially and if appropriate with consent, to the referring line manager. The contracted services for staff health and wellbeing include occupational health (OH), employee assistance programmes (EAP) and reflective sessions. These contracts include a variety of services which include but are not limited to therapeutic or rehabilitative interventions and are aggregated based on specialisms to ensure the MoJ has access to the most relevant services. Working with subject matter experts employed by the third-party providers, the department has the benefit of being able to explore and implement innovative and value-adding employee health and wellbeing services for front-line staff. This model is also vital to ensuring that the breadth of services can be delivered consistently across the prison and probation estate. The merits of contracted services can be evidenced upon illustration of the wide range of services that are hereby listed: Occupational Health Prison officer pre-employment health assessments at national Fitness CentresPerformance and Attendance management referrals for advice on fitness for work and reasonable adjustments due to ill health, disability and/or following an accident/injury at workPost-Covid Syndrome Referral ServiceFast track Trauma referralsEMDR and CBT (Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy)Immunisations and vaccination history checks.Health SurveillancePhysiotherapyWorkstation and workplace ergonomicsDyslexia and other neurodiverse conditions assessments  13Occupational TherapyIll-health retirement and advice on eligibility for ill-health early retirementBody Fluid Exposure & Sharps Injury SupportOnline Physio SupportOnline Health Condition Management Employee Assistance ProgrammesEmployee self-referral to 24/7 confidential telephone helpline staffed by qualified counsellorsFace to face or online counselling Services, including therapeutic interventionsBullying and harassment supportManagement support servicesSupport and advice on personal matters e.g. health, relationships, family, financial, emotional, legal, anxiety, alcohol, drugs and other issues.Support for work matters - work demands, working relationships, work/life balance, stress and other related issuesReflective SessionsTrauma and Critical Incident SupportHealth and wellbeing promotion, such as wellbeing and mental health related workshops and training programmesMediation

Legal Aid Scheme

Abena Oppong-Asare: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent progress his Department has made on its meeting the commitments made in the Government’s full response to the Criminal Legal Aid Independent Review and consultation on policy proposals, published in December 2022.

Mike Freer: In November 2022 we published our full response to the Criminal Legal Aid Independent Review (CLAIR), setting out various proposals to ensure the long-term sustainability of the criminal legal aid sector. This followed the interim response to the CLAIR which introduced a 15% uplift across most fee schemes in line with the recommendations made in the Review. This funding began to come into effect from the end of September 2022, and we subsequently agreed to extend it to the majority of cases already progressing in the Crown Court. Following these reforms, an increase in expenditure of up to £141 million a year will take expected annual criminal legal aid spend to £1.2 billion. We have established the Criminal Legal Aid Advisory Board (CLAAB) in October 2022, now chaired by former judge Deborah Taylor, to bring together criminal justice system partners to take a wider view and encourage a more joined-up approach to criminal legal aid within the criminal justice system. We are continuing to work with the CLAAB on our proposals, including long term reform of the Litigators’ Graduated Fee Scheme and Advocates’ Graduated Fee Scheme, to reform criminal legal aid fees. In addition to the 15% uplift that was applied to both the magistrates’ court and police station fee schemes from 30 September 2022, we will be investing a further £16m into the police station fee scheme and £5.1m towards youth court fees which currently sits under the magistrates’ court fee scheme. In total, this will be an additional £21.1m going to solicitors over the next financial year (2024/25). We will be consulting further on how this money will be distributed within the fee schemes.

Probation Service: Labour Turnover

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of newly qualified probation officers stay in the Probation Service for more than 48 months.

Damian Hinds: Using the data available, we can look to specifying dates members of staff in “Probation Service Officer” grades are promoted to “Probation Officer” grades as a proxy. We can tell that 82% of those who were promoted between 1 June 2014, which was the creation of the National Probation Service, and 30 June 2019, 82% remained within the Probation Service for at least 48 months. NotesData source is the Single Operating Platform (SOP) database system.Promotions relate to staff moving to a more senior grade through an internal process.Each individual is only counted once.If an individual had more than one promotion date, either as a temporary move followed by a permanent move then the date of the first movement is taken.Information is as at 30 June 2023. Data for Staff movements after 30 June 2019 are not included as they will have been in post for less than 48 months.If a member of staff leaves Probation Service but still stays in HMPPS e.g. moves to HMPPS HQ team, then they are still regarded as having left Probation Service for the purposes of this analysis.Even if an individual remains in Probation Service, they may not necessarily stay as a Probation Officer and may be promoted or move internally to a non-Probation Officer role.The National Probation Service (NPS), was created on 1 June 2014 and staff in the Probation Trusts joined HMPPS as civil servants. Data for staff prior to this date is not available.The figures above do not reflect actual levels of staff in post as staff can arrive externally or via transfers from private sector providers such as Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs).

Solicitors: Erith and Thamesmead

Abena Oppong-Asare: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will make an estimate of the number of criminal duty solicitors working in Erith and Thamesmead constituency.

Mike Freer: The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) is responsible for commissioning duty solicitor services and the day-to-day administration of the court and police station duty schemes. This includes keeping membership records, allocating slots and producing and maintaining duty solicitor rotas. The LAA monitors membership across individual duty schemes. Information about duty solicitor volumes broken down by individual scheme is published as part of the LAA’s quarterly statistics. Legal Aid services are not procured at constituency level, however, the duty schemes falling with the Erith and Thamesmead constituency include the Bexley and Greenwich/Woolwich schemes. At a national level, the LAA monitors capacity across criminal legal aid contracts on an ongoing basis and, where demand is greater than the available supply, takes action to secure additional provision to ensure the continuity of legal aid-funded services. The LAA is satisfied that there continues to be sufficient duty solicitor coverage on the duty schemes operating in Erith and Thamesmead. Provision under the duty schemes is demand led and so there may be variations in numbers across each local rota or other fluctuations in numbers depending on prevailing market conditions, and other internal factors such as firms merging or other consolidation activity.

Magistrates' Courts: West Midlands

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many outstanding cases there are at (a) Dudley, (b) Walsall and (c) Wolverhampton Magistrates Court.

Mike Freer: As of the end of June 2023 the number of outstanding cases at Dudley, Walsall and Wolverhampton Magistrates’ Courts are as follows:a) Dudley Magistrates' Court: 1,017b) Walsall Magistrates' Court: 779c) Wolverhampton Magistrates' Court: 935This is a further breakdown of published data that can be found in the criminal court statistics quarterly publication: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/criminal-court-statistics-quarterly-april-to-june-2023.

Ministry of Justice: Procurement

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 18 September 2023 to Question 198482 on Ministry of Justice: Procurement and with reference to the contract, reference 385640/1256947, published on 11 September 2023, what the supporting items are; whether the contract award notice is for one site or more; and whether the baseline cost for equipment is for (a) full purchase or (b) rental at a (i) daily, (ii) weekly and (iii) monthly rate.

Mike Freer: Supporting items are items that can be added to the structure such as flooring, doors and supporting walls. The contract can be used for sites in the South of England and is currently being used at one site. Rental is charged and paid at a monthly rate.

Tribunals: Standards

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to reduce waiting times for tribunal hearings.

Mike Freer: Tribunals within the Ministry of Justice are administered by HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) and incorporate a wide range of administrative and civil & commercial jurisdictions. The largest jurisdictions are responsible for appeals in Employment, Immigration & Asylum and Social Security & Child Support matters.HMCTS aims to hear tribunal cases as quickly as possible and we are introducing online digital services in our larger tribunals to enable faster processing of cases and improve the customer experience. HMCTS is also recruiting additional Judges where required together with Legal Officers who will actively manage cases; and creating virtual regions in the Employment and Immigration & Asylum tribunals to hear remote cases from any region and provide additional capacity.If an expedited hearing is requested, a Judge or Legal Officer will make a decision on that issue, taking all the circumstances into account.Tribunal statistics are published by MoJ on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/tribunals-statistics#tribunal-statistics-quarterly.

Probate: Applications

Abena Oppong-Asare: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if his Department will make an assessment of the adequacy of rates of processing probate applications by HM Courts and Tribunals Service.

Mike Freer: The probate service received record levels of applications during 2022 and this has continued to grow with higher levels of receipts during January to June 2023 compared to the same period in 2022. Whilst HMCTS has increased resources to meet the higher demand the training and upskilling of those new and existing staff has led to applications taking longer in the short term. HMCTS are focused on increasing outputs to reduce overall timeliness on all types of applications and the average mean length of time taken for a grant of probate, following receipt of the documents required, is 13 weeks during April to June 2023. Average waiting times for probate grants are routinely published on gov.uk via Family Court Statistics Quarterly and currently cover the period up to June 2023.

Magistrates: Labour Turnover

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of retention rates of magistrates.

Mike Freer: The Ministry of Justice actively monitors overall recruitment and attrition rates for the magistracy as part of the collation and publication of the Judicial Diversity Statistics. To preserve judicial independence, leadership of the magistracy is a matter for the judiciary. The Judicial Office conducts a leaving survey for those who are resigning from the magistracy, which it reviews annually.Since 2019/ 2020, the number of leavers each year from the magistracy has decreased annually from a level of 1440 leavers in 2019/20 (10.9% of the magistracy) to 743 leavers in 2022/23 (5.6% of the magistracy). Since March 2022 797 magistrates over the age of 70 have also chosen to be reinstated following the increase of the judicial mandatory retirement age to 75.

Sex Offender Treatment Programme

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he has plans to end the (a) Horizon and (b) iHorizon programmes within the probation service for sex offenders.

Damian Hinds: There are no immediate plans to withdraw or cease delivery of the Horizon and / or iHorizon programmes from Probation services. A new Accredited Programmes offer is being developed that may replace many current Interventions Services Accredited Programmes, including Horizon and iHorizon. This Next Generation of Accredited Programmes (Next-Gen AcPs) is designed to be a more streamlined and coherent offer that will support frontline delivery and realise important benefits across the system. The Next-Gen AcPs is currently undergoing an extensive period of rigorous testing and scrutiny. National rollout of the proposed Next-Gen AcPs is not expected to begin until Summer 2025 at the earliest, and not before it has received Accreditation and been approved by senior leaders. Horizon and iHorizon will continue to be delivered as part of the current suite of programmes while development and testing of the Next-Gen AcPs proceeds.

Legal Profession: Japan

Mark Logan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he has had recent discussions with his Japanese counterpart on increasing cooperation between the Japanese and UK legal service sectors.

Mike Freer: The UK and Japan have a strong legal services trading relationship, with bilateral legal services trade valued at approximately £147m in 2021 (ONS data) and multiple UK law firms maintaining a presence in Japan. The UK and Japan regularly engage to discuss legal services. This includes as part of ongoing cooperation under the UK-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement which was reaffirmed by the signing of the Hiroshima Accord by PM Sunak and PM Kishida in May 2023. In July 2023, the Secretary of State for Justice undertook a visit to Japan to attend the G7 Justice Ministerial Forum. As part of the visit, the Secretary of State for Justice discussed legal services with his counterpart, the Japanese Justice Minister, and with representatives from the UK and Japanese legal sectors. The Secretary of State for Justice and Japanese Justice Minister signed a UK-Japan Memorandum of Cooperation on legal and justice affairs. The Memorandum of Cooperation will increase collaboration between Justice Ministries by establishing a regular dialogue on legal and justice matters. The agreement signals a mutual desire to strengthen cooperation between the Japanese and UK legal services sectors, and commits to cooperation on international legal services and dispute resolution.

Question

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much funding was allocated to South Wales Police under Operation Safeguard in 2023; and how much and what proportion of that funding was used to house prisoners in that period.

Damian Hinds: Operation Safeguard is a contingency measure that provides additional headroom for use if prisoners cannot be accepted from the courts or police custody. It is a temporary measure to provide a short-term solution. When Operation Safeguard is active, tactical and operational governance reviews take place at regular intervals, as agreed with police partners. There are no additional costs to the taxpayer and any spend under Operation Safeguard comes from within existing departmental budgets. Every aspect of Operation Safeguard – including compensation for cells – is based on agreements between HMPPS, the police and the Home Office. Spend is recorded on a cost-recovery basis. South Wales Police Force Operation Safeguard costs from February 2023 to end Sept 2023.Command Costs £37,585Cell availability payments £876,120

Employment Tribunals Service: Judges

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the latest status is of proposals of the Senior President of Tribunals to have Employment Tribunal cases heard by a single judge by default.

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the proposals put forward by the Senior President of Tribunals that employment cases be heard by a single judge by default on the judicial diversity of Employment Tribunals.

Mike Freer: The Senior President of Tribunals (SPT) will become responsible for the future arrangements for panel composition once the provisions of the Judicial Review and Courts Act (2022) are brought into effect. We intend to enact this delegation of powers later this year. Following this, any decisions made on the matter of panel composition will be informed by the consultation published earlier in the year, in which views on his proposals were sought. As such, the final proposals on Employment Tribunal panel composition will be a matter for the Senior President of Tribunals. We understand that the SPT intends to publish a response to the consultation in due course, once the measures have been brought into effect. Judicial diversity is a key priority for the Ministry of Justice. As a member of the Judicial Diversity Forum, we work closely with the judiciary, the Judicial Appointments Commission, the Legal Services Board and the legal professions to promote diversity in the judiciary across each jurisdiction.

Prison Sentences: Foreign Nationals

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many foreign nationals are being held in prison beyond the completion of their sentence in (a) England and (b) Wales.

Damian Hinds: The removal of Foreign National Offenders is a Government priority and the Ministry of Justice works closely with the Home Office to maximise the number of deportations. A number of Foreign National Offenders (FNOs) can remain in the prison estate beyond their release dates. Individuals detained under immigration powers are usually there because they pose high-risk or high-harm and their detention is reviewed at regular intervals, with careful consideration of a person’s vulnerabilities. As of 29 June there were 243 FNOs held in English prisons beyond the completion of their sentence dates under IS91 immigration powers. The number held in Welsh prisons on the same day was 11. It should be noted that these figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large-scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. Since this date, the Home Office has continued to reduce the numbers and are working to keep the number of FNOs held in prison past their custodial release date at the minimum possible level. Updated figures on the number of FNOs held in prisons in England and Wales will be published 26 October. On 16 September the Lord Chancellor announced that we will extend the Early Removal Scheme, so that we have the power to remove foreign criminals up to eighteen months before they are due to be released, up from twelve months now. To support this, more caseworkers will be deployed to speed up removals.

Prisons: Essex

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much funding was allocated to Essex Police under Operation Safeguard in 2023; and how much and what proportion of that funding was used to house prisoners in that period.

Damian Hinds: Operation Safeguard is a contingency measure that provides additional headroom for use if prisoners cannot be accepted from the courts or police custody. It is a temporary measure to provide a short-term solution. When Operation Safeguard is active, tactical and operational governance reviews take place at regular intervals, as agreed with police partners. There are no additional costs to the taxpayer and any spend under Operation Safeguard comes from within existing departmental budgets. Every aspect of Operation Safeguard – including compensation for cells – is based on agreements between HMPPS, the police and the Home Office. Spend is recorded on a cost-recovery basis. Essex Police Force Operation Safeguard costs from February to end September 2023:Command Costs £35,561Cell availability Costs £366,771

Prisons: Overcrowding

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate he has made of how many (a) incidents of self harm and (b) assaults on police staff by prisoners held in police cells as part of Operation Safeguard there have been in 2023.

Damian Hinds: Individual police forces offering accommodation under Operation Safeguard are responsible for the lawful custody and care of prisoners held in police accommodation. The safe and effective management of Operation Safeguard across police forces is coordinated by the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC). Operation Safeguard is a contingency measure that provides additional headroom for use if prisoners cannot be accepted from the courts or police custody. It is a temporary measure to provide a short-term solution. When Operation Safeguard is active, tactical and operational governance reviews take place at regular intervals, as agreed with police partners. There are no additional costs to the taxpayer and any spend under Operation Safeguard comes from within existing departmental budgets. Every aspect of Operation Safeguard – including compensation for cells – is based on agreements between HMPPS, the police and the Home Office. Spend is recorded on a cost-recovery basis.

Prisons: Overcrowding

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 17 July 2023 to Question 193369 on Prisoners: Police Custody, if he will provide a breakdown of the allocation of that £25.4 million spend.

Damian Hinds: Operation Safeguard is a contingency measure that provides additional headroom for use if prisoners cannot be accepted from the courts or police custody. It is a temporary measure to provide a short-term contingency facility. When Operation Safeguard is active, tactical and operational governance reviews take place at regular intervals, as agreed with police partners. There are no additional costs to the taxpayer and any spend under Operation Safeguard comes from within existing departmental budgets. Every aspect of Operation Safeguard – including compensation for cells – is based on agreements between HMPPS, the police and the Home Office. Spend is recorded on a cost-recovery basis. £25.4m represents Operation Safeguard costs during February to June 2023., The breakdown by police force is shown below: ForceTOTALAvon and Somerset Constabulary£ 257,489.88Bedfordshire Police£ 211,575.52Cambridgeshire Constabulary£ 48,097.20Cheshire Constabulary£ 853,650.80City Of London Police£ 142,750.59Cleveland Police£ 435,273.70Cumbria Constabulary£ 247,320.63Derbyshire Constabulary£ 466,043.32Devon & Cornwall Police£ 3,558.42Dorset Police£ -Durham Constabulary£ -Dyfed-Powys Police£ 329,689.32Essex Police£ 390,228.31Gloucestershire Constabulary£ 688,874.14Greater Manchester Police£ 729,059.98Gwent Police£ 268,351.98Hampshire Constabulary£ 634,726.56Hertfordshire Constabulary£ 180,911.28Humberside Police£ 371,859.30Kent Police£ 1,315,525.16Lancashire Constabulary£ 522,328.44Leicestershire Police£ 389,128.40Lincolnshire Police£ 302,002.14Merseyside Police£ 577,702.80Metropolitan Police Service£ 1,618,613.41Norfolk Constabulary£ 357,802.64North Wales Police£ 447,742.83North Yorkshire Police£ 518,707.74Northamptonshire Police£ 613,376.38Northumbria Police£ 1,033,085.54Nottinghamshire Police£ 1,089,559.52South Wales Police£ 813,176.59South Yorkshire Police£ 522,328.44Staffordshire Police£ 764,235.90Suffolk Constabulary£ -Surrey Police£ 481,059.54Sussex Police£ 528,938.80Thames Valley Police£ 613,939.92Warwickshire Police£ 611,388.72West Mercia Police£ 965,216.04West Midlands Police£ 4,022,722.84West Yorkshire Police£ 906,089.18Wiltshire Police£ -

Ministry of Justice: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much their Department spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-2023 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much the Academy for Social Justice spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much the Advisory Committees on Justices of the Peace spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much the Cafcass spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much the Civil Justice Council spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much the Civil Procedure Rule Committee spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much the Criminal Cases Review Commission spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much the Criminal Procedure Rule Committee spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much the Family Justice Council spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much the Family Procedure Rule Committee spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much the HM Courts & Tribunals Service spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much the HM Inspectorate of Prisons spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much the HM Inspectorate of Probation spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much the HM Prison and Probation Service spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much the Independent Advisory Panel on Deaths in Custody spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much the Independent Monitoring Authority for the Citizens’ Rights Agreements spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much the Independent Monitoring Boards spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much the Insolvency Rules Committee spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much the Judicial Appointments and Conduct Ombudsman spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much the Judicial Appointments Commission spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much the Judicial Office spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much the Law Commission spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much the Legal Aid Agency spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much the Legal Services Board spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much the Official Solicitor and Public Trustee spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much the Office of the Public Guardian spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much the Parole Board spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much the Prison Service Pay Review Body spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much the Sentencing Council for England and Wales spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much the The Legal Ombudsman spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much the Tribunal Procedure Committee spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much the Victims' Commissioner spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Mike Freer: On 02 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all Equality, Diversity and Inclusion spending in the Civil Service.The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance.The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.

Prisons: Overcrowding

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much funding has been allocated to each police force in England and Wales for the use of police cells under Operation Safeguard in the latest period for which data is available.

Damian Hinds: Operation Safeguard is a contingency measure that provides additional headroom for use if prisoners cannot be accepted from the courts or police custody. It is a temporary measure to provide a short-term solution. When Operation Safeguard is active, tactical and operational governance reviews take place at regular intervals, as agreed with police partners. There are no additional costs to the taxpayer and any spend under Operation Safeguard comes from within existing departmental budgets. Every aspect of Operation Safeguard – including compensation for cells – is based on agreements between HMPPS, the police and the Home Office. Spend is recorded on a cost-recovery basis. Please see table below setting out payments to police forces in England and Wales for the activation of Operation Safeguard cells for the period February 2023 to September 2023.ForceTOTALAvon and Somerset Constabulary£ 257,490Bedfordshire Police£ 393,946Cambridgeshire Constabulary£ 306,866Cheshire Constabulary£ 1,405,443City Of London Police£ 142,751Cleveland Police£ 740,187Cumbria Constabulary£ 430,269Derbyshire Constabulary£ 1,020,938Devon & Cornwall Police£ 3,558Dorset Police£ -Durham Constabulary£ -Dyfed-Powys Police£ 329,689Essex Police£ 402,332Gloucestershire Constabulary£ 1,287,400Greater Manchester Police£ 1,300,907Gwent Police£ 268,352Hampshire Constabulary£ 634,727Hertfordshire Constabulary£ 357,747Humberside Police£ 737,756Kent Police£ 1,317,995Lancashire Constabulary£ 888,225Leicestershire Police£ 524,547Lincolnshire Police£ 302,002Merseyside Police£ 577,703Metropolitan Police Service£ 1,754,689Norfolk Constabulary£ 710,459North Wales Police£ 774,771North Yorkshire Police£ 879,812Northamptonshire Police£ 904,269Northumbria Police£ 2,008,809Nottinghamshire Police£ 1,943,318South Wales Police£ 913,705South Yorkshire Police£ 888,225Staffordshire Police£1,374,063Suffolk Constabulary£ -Surrey Police£ 548,301Sussex Police£ 549,283Thames Valley Police£ 1,301,560Warwickshire Police£ 828,059West Mercia Police£ 1,697,009West Midlands Police£ 6,594,079West Yorkshire Police£ 1,489,934Wiltshire Police£ -Central Silver Team£ 169,585

Prisons: Education

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the education services provided in prisons.

Damian Hinds: On 28 September, we announced the new Prisoner Education Service to improve the literacy, numeracy and vocational skills of prisoners. This will support positive employment outcomes and reduce reoffending, and we have already seen the number of prisoners in work following release more than doubling between 2021 and 2023. We have rigorous assessments of the quality and effectiveness of the education offer in prisons. These include: tracking employment on release, attendance of prisoners in education sessions as well as provider performance. The Prison Service is continuing to forge a closer working relationship with Ofsted, who have been delivering education sessions to prison leaders to ensure greater collaboration and clear expectations for prison education.  This includes tracking OFSTED recommendations to ensure sites make progress against them. In the past 6 months 4 prisons have received a ‘Good’ rating from OFSTED, the most in any single year since 2015. All prisoners are assessed on entry, and a personal learning plan is created to meet their educational needs. This is now electronically stored so that it can move with prisoners when transferred. Prisoners who require basic maths and literacy skills are identified and offered the appropriate support.

Berwyn Prison: Power Failures

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, which facilities were affected by the power cut at HMP Berwyn in October 2023.

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the (a) cause and (b) impact of the power cut affecting the HMP Berwyn estate in October.

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the impact on (a) staff and (b) prisoner health and safety of the power cut affecting the HMP Berwyn estate in October.

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the emergency measures in place at HMP Berwyn in case of power outage.

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to prevent power outages at the HMP Berwynestate.

Damian Hinds: HMP Berwyn experience a power failure that affected the internal electrical system. The cause of the incident was a breakdown between the mains electrical system and the generator which meant that when the power cut occurred the generator did not activate. The impact on the staff and prisoners was minimised by the speed at which the power was restored. The health and safety of all concerned was preserved through the use of contingency measures and a back-up solution had been agreed in the event that the matter could not be resolved. The Senior Management Team and Facilities Services provider secured an Engineer to site and there was a resolution just after 3:00pm the same day. The permanent solution for this matter is in progress at the establishment and we do not envisage further issues once this and the residual systems reset required following the incident are complete.

Prisons: Drugs

Yasmin Qureshi: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department has plans to (a) review the effectiveness of substance free living units and (b) make an assessment of the potential merits of extending those units across all prison estates.

Damian Hinds: As part of the ambitious cross-Government Drug Strategy, we are rolling out a range of interventions to support prisoners off drugs and into recovery. This includes expanding the number of Incentivised Substance-Free Living Units where prisoners commit to remaining free of illicit drugs, with regular drug testing and incentives. We now have over 60 of these wings across the estate, and are aiming to reach up to 100 by March 2025. This will dramatically expand the number of prisoners who have access to these wings. Alongside this we are working to evaluate ISFLs to improve our understanding of the impact they are having and the experience of prisoners on these wings.

Prisoners: literacy

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of literacy-based education provision in prisons.

Damian Hinds: On 28 September, we announced a new Prisoner Education Service to improve the literacy, numeracy and vocational skills of prisoners. We are embedding literacy in workshops and vocational training, and we are implementing the Literacy Innovation Fund by piloting two specialist reading and literacy projects across fifteen prisons to help prisoners with the lowest reading levels.  This is alongside other Small to Medium Enterprise (SME) projects such as Shannon Trust and Leaders are Readers.Functional Skills in literacy are subject to ambitious contractual targets with providers financially penalised if they do not meet them. Achievement against literacy functional skills has improved year on year since the end of Covid.Whole prison reading strategies, recognised as good practice by HMIP, have been developed in all prisons, and reading leads are ensuring that literacy is at the heart of each prison's education provision. Prisoners’ reading levels are assessed on entry so that Personal Learning Plans are in place and the right support for reading is available to them.Each prison has a library which holds essential legal texts, promotes reading for pleasure and often offer a range of reading activities.  We are improving the delivery of library services and have recently updated and upgraded library contracts, including an uplift in funding.Prisons have continued to rollout Storybooks Dads and Mums, which helps over 5,000 prisoners a year record bedtime stories for their children, and rolled out new technology, including laptops for prisoners to take part in online courses with the Open University.In addition, new contracts for education providers in 2025 will have robust targets on maths, English and vocational qualifications, and quality of delivery.

Prisons: Overcrowding

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent estimate his Department has made of the cost to the public purse of Operation Safeguard in 2023.

Damian Hinds: Operation Safeguard is a contingency measure that provides additional headroom for use if prisoners cannot be accepted from the courts or police custody. It is a temporary measure to provide a short-term solution. When Operation Safeguard is active, tactical and operational governance reviews take place at regular intervals, as agreed with police partners. There are no additional costs to the taxpayer and any spend under Operation Safeguard comes from within existing departmental budgets. Every aspect of Operation Safeguard – including compensation for cells – is based on agreements between HMPPS, the police and the Home Office. The use of Operation Safeguard cells are kept under weekly review.

Prisons: Security

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what data his Department holds on the number of hours each day that body scanners for (a) prison staff and (b) prisoners entering prisons in England and Wales are operated by staff in the last 12 months.

Damian Hinds: Data on the number of hours x-ray body scanners are operated by staff in prisons is not recorded.HMPPS currently scan adult male prisoners on an intelligence or reasonable suspicion-led basis. It does not have legal permission to use x-ray body scanners on staff working in prisons.Our £100 million security investment programme to reduce crime inside prisons, including stemming the flow of illicit items such as drugs, mobile phones, and weapons, was completed in March 2022. Enhanced gate security—including 659 staff, 154 drug dogs and over 200 pieces of equipment—has been deployed to 42 high-risk prison sites that routinely search staff and visitors. We now have 97 X-ray body scanners covering the entire closed male estate and they have recorded more than 28,000 positive indications helping to tackle the supply of drugs and mobile phones into prisons.

Probation Service: Staff

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people on the Probation Service’s trainee probation officer scheme in financial year 2021-2022 remain in the Service.

Damian Hinds: Recent trainee Probation Officer recruitment campaigns have delivered high volumes between 2020/21 and 2022/23 (4,039 hires against a target of 4,000). We have accelerated the recruitment of trainee Probation Officers recently, and this has resulted in the recruitment of 1,514 trainee Probation Officers in the 2022/23 financial year.Across the 2021/22 financial year, there were 2,668 individuals on Trainee Probation Officer courses. Of these individuals, 2,165 individuals were still in the Probation Service, as of 30 September 2023. This represents 81% of individuals.NotesData have been taken from the Single Operating Platform HR database. As with all HR databases, extracts are taken at a fixed point in time to ensure consistency of reporting. However, the database itself is dynamic and where updates to the database are made late, subsequent to the taking of the extract, these updates will not be reflected in figures produced by the extract. For this reason, HR data are unlikely to be precisely accurate.Only staff recorded as working in Probation Service cost centres as of 30 September 2023 are included. A small number of staff who work in Probation Service grades in other parts of HMPPS have been excluded.The baseline for the 2021/22 financial year includes anyone who was recorded as being a PQiP at some point from 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2022. Data have been taken from a separate internal source, the quarterly Trainee Probation Officer Census.

Simon Smith

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will use the set aside process to seek reconsideration by the Parole Board of its decision to release Simon Smith from prison on licence.

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he has made a recent assessment of the adequacy of the decision-making framework used by the Parole Board to assess risk.

Damian Hinds: In accordance with the Parole Board Rules, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Justice, has applied to the Parole Board for reconsideration of the provisional decision to release Simon Smith on life licence. This is now a matter for the Parole Board. In the Root and Branch Review of the Parole System, published in March 2022, the Government proposed making the release test more prescriptive, setting out the criteria the Board must consider. The Victims and Prisoners Bill implements this proposal, setting out a new release test which makes clear that minimising risk and protecting the public are the sole considerations in deciding release.

Prison and Probation Service: Remote Working

Saqib Bhatti: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of trends in the number of staff in the Prison and Probation Service working from home on the (a) time taken to process cases and (b) quality of service provision.

Damian Hinds: The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) offers hybrid working arrangements where business need allows. This is an informal, non-contractual form of flexible working that blends working from a staff member's base location, different MoJ sites and / or from home. Arrangements are agreed between staff members and their line managers and subject to regular review. Some roles, such as those which are prison-based or require direct supervision of people on probation, will not be suitable for hybrid working. The MoJ routinely publishes a range of data on service delivery in both prisons and probation at https://data.justice.gov.uk/prisons and https://data.justice.gov.uk/probation.

Convictions: Children

Mark Logan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will hold discussions with Cabinet colleagues on the potential merits of bringing forward proposals to ensure that parents are held accountable in the event that their child is convicted of a serious offence where it is deemed that the parent’s action or inaction contributed to that offence.

Damian Hinds: We believe it is important for those who are responsible for a child’s care and well-being to be involved in their rehabilitation where appropriate. Youth offending teams (YOTs) assess children engaging in, or at risk of, offending and determine whether parenting programmes or parenting contracts are needed to improve the guidance provided by parents and guardians to their children. Courts can issue a parenting order where a child has been convicted of an offence and can include failure by the parent and guardian to comply with the requirements of a parenting contract. Parenting orders require the parent to comply for up to 12 months with certain requirements and, where appropriate, attend counselling or guidance programmes designed to improve parenting skills, manage difficult adolescent behaviour or ensure school attendance, for up to three months. Consistent non-compliance without good reason can lead to a police investigation and breach proceedings in court. Where the child is under 16, and has been convicted of an offence, the courts also have the power to order the parent or guardian to pay the fine. As an alternative to parenting orders, YOTs often prefer where possible to engage and build strong relationships with parents on a voluntary basis. Parents often engage readily and take part in specific parenting support activities.

Pentonville Prison: Prison Accommodation

Kate Osamor: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of living conditions inside Pentonville Prison.

Kate Osamor: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the report by the Independent Monitoring Board entitled Annual Report of the Independent Monitoring Board at HMP Pentonville, published on 26 September 2023.

Damian Hinds: HMP Pentonville was most recently inspected by HM Inspectorate of Prisons in July 2022. The inspectorate’s report was published on 18 October 2022. It can be viewed here: HMP Pentonville (justiceinspectorates.gov.uk).Following consideration of matters highlighted in the recently published report by the prison’s Independent Monitoring Board, HM Prison and Probation Service has scheduled a Living Conditions Audit to be undertaken at HMP Pentonville and will be able to report its findings in due course.HM Prison and Probation Service carries out a programme of audits across the prison estate, to ensure adequate operational standards are being maintained within individual establishments. This includes an audit of living conditions, which assesses whether the establishment provides safe, clean and decent living conditions that are in a good state of repair and fit for purpose.

Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022: Prison Sentences

Janet Daby: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 on the (a) number and (b) length of prison sentences.

Janet Daby: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department has made a post-legislative assessment of the potential impact of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 on the number of prisoners within the prison population.

Edward Argar: In April 2022, the Ministry of Justice published an impact assessment on the changes to sentencing, release, probation and youth justice measures through the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts (PCSC) Act 2022. This included the estimated impacts on the numbers and lengths of prison sentences under the new provisions. All Impact Assessments of the PCSC Act are available on gov.uk: Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 publications - Parliamentary Bills - UK Parliament.The Ministry of Justice publishes Prison Population Projections, which incorporate estimated impacts on the prison population of agreed policies, including the PCSC Act. The publication is available on gov.uk: Prison_Population_Projections_2022_to_2027.pdf (publishing.service.gov.uk).

Television Licences: Non-payment

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department holds data on the number of cases of Television Licence evasion that were considered by magistrates' courts in each year between 2015 and 2022.

Edward Argar: The Ministry of Justice holds data on the number of prosecutions for television licence evasion in magistrates’ courts, covering the period requested up to December 2022, and this can be viewed in the following data tool:Magistrates' court data tool: 2022.Select ‘191A Television licence evasion’ in the Offence filter.

Department for Business and Trade

Exports: EU Countries

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent assessment she has made of the impact of the UK's withdrawal from the EU (a) single market and (b) customs union on costs for small businesses that export to the EU.

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent estimate she has made of the number of small businesses that have (a) relocated and (b) part-relocated their operations to the EU due to export costs in (i) Wales, (ii) England, (iii) Scotland and (iv) Northern Ireland.

Kevin Hollinrake: We do not have the information you are asking for, however, what we can say is that 94% of all businesses that responded to the ONS business survey in the 2 weeks to the 3rd September were not planning to open any new branches or subsidiaries in the EU in the next 12 months. We understand that SMEs have had to adapt to the new post-Brexit environment, and that’s why we are ensuring they have what they need to do so, including comprehensive guidance on GOV.UK, and support from UK Export Finance (UKEF) and the Export Support Service (ESS). Now we have left the single market, we can turn our focus to the rest of the world, where in the 12 months to June 2023 trade is up 38% in current prices compared to pre-pandemic (2018) levels.

Companies House: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how much Companies House spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how much the Office of the Regulator of Community Interest Companies spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Kevin Hollinrake: For financial year 2022-23 there was no spend on equality and diversity training for both Companies House and the Office of the Regulator of Community Interest Companies.

Trade Agreements: Australia

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will make an assessment of the economic impact of the Australia–United Kingdom free trade agreement from 31 May 2023.

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will make an assessment of the economic impact of the UK-New Zealand free trade agreement from 31 May 2023.

Nigel Huddleston: The Department’s impact assessments of the UK-Australia and UK-New Zealand Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) were published on 16th December 2021 and 28th February 2022 respectively. These impact assessments set out the potential long-run incremental economic impact of these FTAs and are available on gov.uk. As the agreements only entered in force since 31st May 2023 it would not be credible or proportionate to assess the economic impact to date.

Regulatory Policy Committee: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how much the Regulatory Policy Committee spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Kevin Hollinrake: For the financial year 2022-2023 the Regulatory Policy Committee did not have any spend on equality and diversity training.

UK Export Finance

Sir Iain Duncan Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 17 October 2023 to Questions 200185, 200186 and 200187 on UK Export Finance: China, what (a) labour standards and (b) other human rights due diligence procedures are applied to prospective UK Export Finance partner companies.

Sir Iain Duncan Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 17 October 2023 to Questions 200185, 200186 and 200187 on UK Export Finance: China, what her policy is on public funds being directed to Chinese companies involved in the Belt and Road Initiative through (a) UK Export Finance and (b) other public bodies.

Nigel Huddleston: As advised in the response to the previous questions (200185, 200186 and 200187), UK Export Finance (UKEF) follows the UK government’s policy towards engagement with China set out in the Integrated Review and elsewhere. UKEF is committed to high standards of environmental, social and human rights (ESHR) risk management. Its specialist ESHR team reviews projects for ESHR risks and impacts before any decision on support is made. If a decision is taken to provide support, UKEF undertakes ESHR monitoring of the project for the duration of that support. UKEF’s due diligence also includes appropriate assessment of attendant risks. UKEF charges a risk-based premium to companies for its support, and has a robust recovery process in place to protect the taxpayer and offset potential losses.

Low Pay Commission: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how much the Low Pay Commission spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Kevin Hollinrake: The Low Pay Commission did not have any spend on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

British Hallmarking Council: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how much the British Hallmarking Council spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Kevin Hollinrake: The British Hallmarking Council had no spend on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Post Offices: Closures

Ian Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions her Department has had with trade unions on the (a) views and (b) experiences of postal workers following the reduction of opening hours at Royal Mail customer service points.

Kevin Hollinrake: Discussions with Trade Unions on changes to working practices are an operational matter for Royal Mail as a private company. The Government does not have a role in Royal Mail’s operational or commercial decisions.

Insolvency Service: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how much the Insolvency Service spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Kevin Hollinrake: In the financial year 2022/23 the Insolvency Service had no spend on equality and diversity training.

Exports: EU Countries

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps she is taking to reduce exporting costs for small business that export to the EU.

Kevin Hollinrake: My department are better equipped than ever to support UK businesses to export. We offer a wide range of free support services, including a network of domestic and overseas trade advisers, sector specialists, Export Support Service, Export Academy, and International Markets network.UK Export Finance (UKEF) also continues to focus on supporting SMEs. In 2022-23, 84% of the companies supported directly with a UKEF product were small and medium-sized enterprises.But we are doing more – maximising uptake of new Free Trade Agreements by SMEs, using data to better target our services and working across Government to reduce barriers to exporting and simplify border processes.

Arms Trade: Israel

Claire Hanna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will take steps to suspend arms licences to Israel until a full assessment of its compliance with international human rights law can be carried out.

Nigel Huddleston: All applications for export licences are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Strategic Export Licensing Criteria.

ACAS: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how much the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how much the Central Arbitration Committee spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how much the Certification Officer spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Kevin Hollinrake: The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) spent £9,950 on diversity and inclusion training in the 2022-23 financial year.For the financial year 2022-23 the Certification Office (CO) and the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) did not spend anything on diversity and equality training.

Post Office: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how much the Post Office spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Kevin Hollinrake: While publicly owned, Post Office operates at arm's length from Government as a commercial business with its own Board. As such, decisions such as the amount spent on Equality and Diversity training represent operational matters for the company to determine.

Trade Agreements: USA

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps she plans to take with Cabinet colleagues to facilitate parliamentary scrutiny of trade deals with the US; and if she will make a statement.

Nigel Huddleston: In June the Prime Minister and the President of the United States announced the Atlantic Declaration and accompanying Action Plan to cover the full spectrum of our economic, technological, commercial and trade relations, and to explore further ways to expand our bilateral trade. Negotiations remain at an early stage and it is not clear what form agreement will take but we remain committed to effective and proportionate scrutiny of our trade negotiations and will ensure Parliament has the information it needs to scrutinise outcomes. We will continue to update Parliament as our work on US trade develops.

Retail Trade: Staff

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether she has made an estimate of the number of people employed in the UK retail industry in each of the last five years.

Kevin Hollinrake: The Office for National Statistics (ONS) publish a large range of labour market statistics, including releases that track the number of workers employed in the retail sector. The ONS publish a detailed guide to using these statistics. As the guidance states, due to the survey design the preferred source for statistics at the industry level is the ONS JOBS02 workforce jobs by industry.Data is also available from NOMIS, the official website for labour market statistics run by the University of Durham on behalf of the ONS.

Supermarkets: Customers

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of regulating the use of loyalty cards by supermarkets.

Kevin Hollinrake: The Government recently ran a consultation which included questions on the display of prices for loyalty card schemes and other promotions. The Government is analysing the responses to this consultation and will respond in due course.

Department for Business and Trade: Women

Richard Thomson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what proportion of officials in her Department on temporary contracts are women.

Nigel Huddleston: In the upcoming Public Sector Employment Survey at 30 September 2023 for the Department for Business and Trade there are no staff on temporary contracts.

Department for Business and Trade: Women

Richard Thomson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what proportion of officials in her Department who are graded as senior civil servant two (SCS2) and on full-time equivalent contracts are women.

Nigel Huddleston: Of the Department for Business and Trade staff who are graded as Senior Civil Servant 2, 31% are women on full time contracts.

Public Houses

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether her Department has made an assessment of the decline in the number of local pubs on communities.

Kevin Hollinrake: We understand the many challenges pubs are facing. The Government is supporting pubs with business rates relief, the Brexit Pubs Guarantee, and help with energy costs. We are also working across Government to identify opportunities to ease regulatory and licensing burdens.We continue to work with businesses, including members of the Hospitality Sector Council, to deliver our 2021 Hospitality Strategy, which aims to support the sector's recovery from COVID-19 and improve longer term resilience.

Competition Service: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how much the Competition Service spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Kevin Hollinrake: The Competition Service had a nil spend on any specific equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year. The organisation uses an on-line training platform which has access to a variety of workplace courses - including courses on equality, diversity and inclusion. The annual cost of this product to the Competition Service was £2,137.50, excluding VAT.

Competition and Markets Authority: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how much the Competitions and Market Authority spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Kevin Hollinrake: According to figures supplied to the Department for Business and Trade, the Competition and Markets Authority spent £99,880 on equality, diversity and inclusion training during the 2022-23 financial year.

Department for Business and Trade: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how much their Department spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-2023 financial year.

Nigel Huddleston: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.

Trade Remedies Authority: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how much the Trade Remedies Authority spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Nigel Huddleston: The Trade Remedies Authority had no spend on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

World Economic Forum

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 19 September 2023 to Question 199561 on World Economic Forum, how much and what proportion of the £6255.20 was spent on (a) flights, (b) accommodation and (c) hospitality.

Nigel Huddleston: The Department's Transparency returns for the period January to February 2023 show a total cost of £6,225.20 for the visit and this represents the total cost including flights and accommodation. All hospitality is declared in quarterly returns but costs for that are not routinely recorded. In the case of this visit there was no hospitality given.

British Business Bank: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how much the British Business Bank spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Kevin Hollinrake: In 2022-23, the British Business Bank spent £1924 on equality and diversity training modules for its staff as part of the British Business Bank's online learning.

Trade Agreements: Colombia

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether there have been any civil society dialogue meetings with Colombia under the UK-Andean countries trade agreement.

Nigel Huddleston: Officials met with Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, within the framework of the first UK-Andean Civil Society Dialogue on Trade and Sustainable Development on 18 July 2023. The event was open to the public and attended by representatives from each partner’s civil society, including the domestic advisory groups established under the UK-Andean Countries Trade Agreement. This was a helpful step in the implementation of the Trade and Sustainable Development commitments.

Trade Agreements: Japan

Mark Logan: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent progress her Department has made on connecting innovation ecosystems under the Japan-UK Strategic Economic Policy and Trade Dialogue; and if she will make a statement.

Nigel Huddleston: Supported by the Strategic Economic Policy and Trade Dialogue, there is significant work underway across a number of departments and agencies in the UK and Japan to connect our respective innovation ecosystems. This includes organising pitch events, business matching sessions, information exchanges and supporting delegations of innovative start-ups to visit our respective markets. We are also working with external partners. In June, my department announced a new contract awarded to Oxfordshire-based Intralink to run the new UK-Asia Pacific Tech Growth Programme as part of the UK’s Digital Trade Network (DTN). This will help UK tech companies and entrepreneurs to trade across Asia Pacific, with Japan a key market.

Employment: Fertility

Ian Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to introduce a statutory right to paid leave for people undergoing fertility treatment.

Ian Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will bring forward legislative proposals requiring companies to have a policy within its HR processes on supporting those undergoing fertility treatment.

Ian Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of guidance to employers on support in the workplace for those undergoing fertility treatment.

Kevin Hollinrake: The Government does not plan to legislate on proposals relating to people undergoing fertility treatment. Most employers want to be supportive of those who need time off work to attend medical appointments – including IVF. The Government is pleased to note that a range of organisations have all signed the Workplace Fertility Pledge, supporting individuals and couples going through fertility treatment. The Acas guidance on managing pregnancy and maternity includes a section on IVF.

Certification Quality Marks

Sir John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether she has made an estimate of the number of products on the market in Great Britain that use UK Conformity Assessed marking.

Kevin Hollinrake: The UK Conformity Assessed (UKCA) Marking covers a wide range of manufactured goods, ranging from toys to PPE, across 27 UK regulations. Evidence from the ONS shows that as of April 2023, around half (48%) of UK manufacturers placing products on the GB market that were required to use either the UKCA marking, or the CE marking, were using the UKCA marking.

Public Houses: Closures

Colleen Fletcher: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what estimate she has made of the number of pubs that have closed in (a) Coventry North East constituency, (b) Coventry, (c) the West Midlands and (d) England in each of the last five years.

Kevin Hollinrake: The latest ONS data[1] (as of 19 October 2023) shows the overall number of public houses and bars in Coventry North East, Coventry, the West Midlands and in England for each of the last 5 years (Table 1). Table 1: Number of Public House and Bar Local Units, 2019 – 2023 DateCoventry - North EastCoventryWest MidlandsEngland2019351203,51533,3052020351153,48533,1252021301153,41532,4302022351253,48532,7902023401253,50532,665 Business closures (VAT de-registrations) are not available at this level of industrial and geographical detail. However, the Insolvency Service[2] do publish monthly data on the total number of insolvencies in the food and beverage services sector in England and Wales from 2019 to 2022 (Table 2). Table 2: Food and beverage service activities insolvencies, England and Wales, 2019 – 2022[3] DateFood and beverage service activities insolvencies 20192,15020201,54220211,54220222,523  [1] ONS Business counts via NOMIS. Data relates to SIC 56.302 – Public houses and bars.[2] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/monthly-insolvency-statistics-september-2023[3] This data represents the sum of monthly insolvencies per year for SIC 56 - Food and beverage service activities.

Living Wage: Meriden

Saqib Bhatti: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the change in rate of the National Living wage in April 2023 on the financial viability of employers in (a) pharmacies and (b) other SMEs in Meriden constituency.

Kevin Hollinrake: The Government published an Impact Assessment that outlines the expected impacts of the change in the National Living Wage in April 2023: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2023/354/impacts Overall, research to-date has not found a significant impact of the National Living wage on business failures. On average, the average total cost per business affected by the policy was between £3,000 to £4,000. We expect around 40% of the costs of this policy to be borne by small and micro businesses and 15% by medium sized businesses. The available data does not enable a statistically reliable assessment of costs of the policy by constituency.

Credit

Peter Dowd: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps she is taking to help (a) small businesses and (b) individuals access (i) Community Development Finance Institutions and (ii) other alternative lending sources.

Kevin Hollinrake: The British Business Bank’s Finance Hub provides a comprehensive guide for small businesses seeking finance, including the role played by Community Development Finance Institutions (CDFIs) and other alternative lending sources. Several CDFIs are delivery partners for Start Up Loans, providing finance of up to £25,000 for business owners who have been trading for up to three years. CDFIs also provide loans to businesses through the British Business Bank’s regions and nations funds.In addition, CDFIs play an invaluable role in enabling individuals to access finance who would otherwise be excluded.

Consumer Goods: Imports

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many companies were prosecuted for selling imported goods that did not meet UK safety standards in each of the last five years.

Kevin Hollinrake: The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) funds enforcement at the border to prevent millions of unsafe goods entering the UK and reaching consumers. In 2021-22, OPSS-funded local authority teams denied entry to around 2.5 million unsafe or non-compliant products. OPSS publishes details of all enforcement actions it has taken on gov.uk every six months, including prosecutions. Local Authority Trading Standards also have powers to undertake prosecutions for product safety offences.

Consumer Goods: Imports

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what estimate she has made of what proportion of imported (a) consumer electronics and (b) electrical goods sold online meet relevant UK safety standards.

Kevin Hollinrake: All products must comply with the essential safety requirements before they can be legally placed on the market. We do not have an estimate of the proportion of imported electronic goods sold online that meet UK safety requirements. However, the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), has prioritised activities to target unsafe products sold online including by requiring recalls and takedowns and, where necessary, taking enforcement action to prevent unsafe products being available to UK consumers. The Government is also consulting on proposals that will modernise responsibilities in online supply chains as part of the Product Safety Review.

Consumer Goods: Internet

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent discussions she has had with major online retailers to help ensure products sold to UK consumers on their platforms meet UK safety standards.

Kevin Hollinrake: Through the Office for Product Safety and Standards as the national product regulator, my Department engages regularly with online marketplaces to help ensure the safety of products sold online. This includes take downs and recalls based on intelligence, including from test purchases. Senior officials and I have held meetings with the major on-line marketplaces demanding they take more action to fulfil their responsibilities for supplying safe goods. The Government is currently consulting on a Product Safety Review, including proposals to modernise responsibilities in online supply chains.

Consumer Goods: Internet

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps she is taking to increase consumer awareness of (a) UK Conformity Assessed marking and (b) how to verify that products bought online comply with UK safety standards.

Kevin Hollinrake: The UK Conformity Assessed (UKCA) marking is a conformity marking to show manufactured products comply with the appropriate requirements to be placed onto Great Britain’s market. UKCA is not intended as a consumer marking. My officials are developing the Government’s future approach to UKCA, alongside extensive engagement with external stakeholders. Furthermore, our recently published Product Safety Review consultation contains proposals for increased consumer information on online product listings. This could include, for example, warnings to consumers, clear indications of whether the product has been listed by a third-party seller, and details of which checks have been carried out on the product.

Small Business Commissioner: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how much the Small Business Commissioner spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Kevin Hollinrake: The Small Business Commissioner spent £0 on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Hospitality Industry: Staff

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether she has made an estimate of the number of people employed in the UK hospitality industry in each of the last five years.

Kevin Hollinrake: The Office for National Statistics (ONS) publish a large range of labour market statistics, including releases that track the number of workers employed in the hospitality sector.The ONS publish a detailed guide to using these statistics. As the guidance states, due to the survey design the preferred source for statistics at the industry level is the ONS JOBS02 workforce jobs by industry.Data is also available from NOMIS, the official website for labour market statistics run by the University of Durham on behalf of the ONS.

Pubs Code Adjudicator: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how much the Pubs Code Adjudicator spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Kevin Hollinrake: The Pubs Code Adjudicator uses the training offer provided on Civil Service Learning. No specific equality and diversity training was procured in 2022-2023. The total staff training costs are published in the Pubs Code Adjudicator’s Annual Report and Accounts.

Exports: EU Countries

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent assessment she has made of the impact of trends in the level of export costs to the EU for small businesses on the economy of (a) Wales and (b) Arfon constituency.

Kevin Hollinrake: Our export strategy sets out a 12-point plan, which is helping businesses in Arfon and across Wales expand their export opportunities. Welsh businesses can access a wide range of free support services, including a network of sector specialists and overseas trade advisers, our Export Academy, the Export Support Service, and UK Export Finance.My department has also recently announced that we will be appointing new International Trade Advisors (ITAs) in Wales, boosting our support for Welsh SME exporters. This expansion should see a further 400-600 companies across Wales receiving tailored support to seek new export opportunities.

Groceries Code Adjudicator: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how much the Groceries Code Adjudicator spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Kevin Hollinrake: The Groceries Code Adjudicator uses the training offer provided on Civil Service Learning. No specific equality and diversity training was procured in 2022-2023, so there was a nil spend on training of this type. The total staff training costs are published in the Groceries Code Adjudicator’s Annual Report and Accounts.

Delivery Services: Standards

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps she is taking to help ensure that parcel delivery companies (a) adopt and (b) adhere to her Department's Statement of principles for parcel deliveries, published in July 2014.

Kevin Hollinrake: While the principles in this guidance still stand, through the Consumer Protection Partnership, we have undertaken further work to ensure retailers provide information about delivery options upfront in the purchasing process to ensure consumers can make informed decisions. In its 2022 review of postal regulation Ofcom, the independent regulator of the postal sector, committed to ongoing monitoring of operators’ performance, keeping under review the need for additional regulation to protect consumers. Current guidance for parcel operators and retailers on their obligations is available from the Chartered Trading Standards Institute’s Business Companion website and through the dedicated deliverylaw.uk website.

Audit: Reform

Darren Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what progress her Department has made on the draft Audit Reform Bill; and when she plans to publish it.

Kevin Hollinrake: The Government has carried out significant work towards audit and corporate governance reform legislation but has not set a date for publication of a draft Audit Reform Bill. The Government is committed to legislating when Parliamentary time allows.

Grievance Procedures

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to require employers to include information about grievance procedures in employment contracts.

Kevin Hollinrake: By law employers must set out a grievance procedure and share it in writing with all employees, for example in their employment contracts or staff handbook. The government has no plans to bring forward legislation to require employers to include this information in employment contracts.

Living Wage

Bell Ribeiro-Addy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether she is taking steps to encourage UK-listed companies to pay the real living wage set by the Living Wage Foundation.

Kevin Hollinrake: The Government is responsible for setting the statutory minimum wage rates. The Low Pay Commission (LPC) has gained international respect for their high-quality work. Therefore, it is right that we continue to take the expert and independent advice of the LPC when setting the minimum wage rates. The key distinction between the LPC rates and the Living Wage Foundation’s Voluntary Living Wage, is that LPC calculations consider the impact on businesses and the economy. We commend employers who pay above the National Minimum Wage/National Living Wage when they can afford to do so. The Living Wage Foundation are clear their measure is voluntary.

Small Businesses: Payments

Lloyd Russell-Moyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps she is taking to ensure that legislation protecting plumbers, builders and carpenters affected by delayed payments from customers is adequate.

Kevin Hollinrake: The Government believes that clients who commission work from small firms or individual tradespeople, should pay invoices as swiftly as possible. This ensures that they have the cash flow to enable them to continue to operate. Firms and tradespeople have recourse to the Small Claims Court, in cases where clients persistently refuse to pay. On 2 October, the Government announced new measures to back small businesses and tackle late payments as part of the Prompt Payment and Cash Flow Review, including extending and improving the Reporting on Payment Practices and Performance Regulations 2017. The full review will be published shortly.

Trade Agreements: Colombia

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, which civil society organisations she is consulting in the civil society dialogue meetings with Colombia under the UK-Andean countries trade agreement.

Nigel Huddleston: The Civil Society Dialogue between the UK and Colombia, Ecuador and Peru – held on 18 July 2023 - was attended by representatives from the domestic advisory groups of the parties and open to the public. The UK’s Trade and Sustainable Development Domestic Advisory Group consists of 12 member organisations, representing a broad range of labour and environmental stakeholders including businesses, trade unions and academia.

Whisky: Excise Duties

Jamie Stone: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of increases in domestic excise duty on Scotch whisky on discussions to reduce tariffs and excise duty on that whisky in international markets.

Nigel Huddleston: This Government is supporting Scotch Whisky. We have provided a series of cuts and freezes to alcohol duties in the past decade. The most recent alcohol duty freeze from Autumn Budget 2021, including the extension to 1 August 2023, represented a total tax cut of £2.7 billion over the next four years. The Government is seeking improvement in market access, through negotiating ambitious Free Trade Agreements, including our recent accession to the CPTPP, and with other trade partners. We are also seeking to reduce non-tariff barriers through conversations with various other partners globally.

Glass: Manufacturing Industries

Conor McGinn: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what support the Government is giving to the British glass industry.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: We remain absolutely determined to secure a competitive future for our energy intensive industries (EIIs) including the glass industry and we have provided EIIs more than £2 billion to help with the costs of energy.  On 23rd February 2023, we announced further support for key UK energy intensive industries. Over 300 businesses across the UK will benefit from the British Industry Supercharger: targeted measures to ensure the energy costs for key UK industries are in line with other major economies around the world.

Minerals: Industry

Derek Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps her Department is taking to strengthen regulatory certainty for (a) the lithium industry and (b) other critical mineral industries.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: The government’s Critical Minerals Strategy sets out how we are improving the resilience of critical mineral supply chains, safeguarding UK industry, increasing confidence in the UK’s energy transition, and protecting national security.In terms of regulatory certainty, the Strategy sets out how we will ensure that UK domestic critical mineral companies comply with permitting and planning regulations, and how we will encourage the proportionate use of globally recognised frameworks and guidelines for responsible mining that protect the interests of communities and our natural environment.Specifically on lithium, the Health and Safety Executive has published a Technical Report on the mandatory classification of three lithium substances (lithium carbonate, lithium chloride and lithium hydroxide) which identified additional information which requires further consideration and assessment before a Ministerial decision is made on the mandatory classification and labelling of these lithium substances in Great Britain.To strengthen the UK’s domestic lithium industry, UK Infrastructure Bank recently invested approximately £24 million to support the mineral exploration company Cornish Lithium in St Ives.

Sanctions: Russia

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to paragraph 2.7 of the Office of Financial Sanctions guidance entitled UK Maritime Services Ban and Oil Price Cap, published June 2023, if she will monitor the amount of refined oil products entering the UK that have undergone a change in origin from the Russian Federation to another country determined based on substantial processing in a jurisdiction other than the Russian Federation; if she will make it her policy to amend the rules to disallow a change of origin of fuel products originating in the Russian Federation following substantial processing elsewhere; and if she will make a statement.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: UK sanctions have curtailed Russian goods imports by 99%, compared to prior to the invasion of Ukraine.The Government is committed to ensuring that third countries are not used by Russia to evade sanctions. The UK has taken a leading role in coordinating international efforts to counter Russia’s actions in Ukraine. This includes working together with international partners to tackle circumvention and ensure sanctions have maximum impact.The Government continues to monitor the effectiveness of our sanctions. The Government does not comment on future sanctions measures, as to do so would reduce their impact.

Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

Energy: Prices

Kenny MacAskill: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what (a) infrastructure costs and (b) other items OFGEM includes in the calculation of energy prices.

Amanda Solloway: Wholesale and retail energy prices are a commercial matter and are set by the market. Ofgem only calculates energy prices in so far as is necessary to set the maximum price for domestic default tariffs under the price cap. Detail on how Ofgem calculate this can be found on their website: https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications/energy-price-cap-default-tariff-1-october-31-december-2023

Electricity: Standing Charges

Kenny MacAskill: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 18 October 2023 to Question 201507 on Electricity: Standing Charges, whether grid connections in one regional area where the energy is transmitted to another are included in the costs of the (a) transmitting and (b) receiving area.

Amanda Solloway: Charging arrangements vary between transmission and distribution networks. Transmission networks enable the bulk transfer of electricity across the country from sources of generation to local electricity distribution networks, with most costs charged on a national basis. Transmission charges also feature a locational price signal, reflecting the costs that different users impose on the transmission network by connecting in different locations. Local distribution networks convey electricity within a region. Distribution charges vary by Distribution Network Operator region, reflecting the different costs of running each local distribution network in a specific region and the number of consumers those costs are spread across.

Electricity: Standing Charges

Kenny MacAskill: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 18 October 2023 to Question 201507 on Electricity: Standing Charges, how OFGEM differentiate the costs of distribution to another region from the costs to consumers within a region.

Amanda Solloway: There are different costs for the high-voltage transmission network (between regions) and local low-voltage distribution networks. The only cost within the standing charge that varies by region relates to a component of the Distribution Network Operator (DNO) costs, reflecting the different costs of each local network and the number of consumers connected to it. Outside the standing charge, transmission network costs feature a price signal (price per unit) which reflects the costs of connection between different regions. Scotland is a net exporter of electricity, so consumers incur lower transmission charges than most of their counterparts in England and Wales.

Buildings: Solar Power

Yasmin Qureshi: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether her Department is taking steps to increase the use of rooftop solar panels on (a) civic and (b) commercial buildings.

Graham Stuart: The Government has established a Government/industry taskforce focussing on rooftop solar to drive forward solar deployment. The Government recently consulted on proposals to amend permitted development rights to support commercial solar and will publish practical guidance to support the installation of rooftop solar on its own estate and the wider public sector estate. The Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme provides grants for public sector bodies to fund heat decarbonisation and energy efficiency measures, including solar.

Ofgem: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how much Ofgem spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Amanda Solloway: On 2 October, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the autumn.

Salix Finance: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how much Salix Finance Ltd spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Graham Stuart: On 2 October, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the autumn.

Electricity Settlements Company: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how much the Electricity Settlements Company spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Graham Stuart: On 2 October, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the autumn.

Low Carbon Contracts Company: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how much the Low Carbon Contracts Company spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Graham Stuart: On 2 October, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the autumn.

Offshore Industry: North Sea

Abena Oppong-Asare: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if she will make an assessment of the impact of the expansion of oil and gas exploration in the North Sea on the environment.

Graham Stuart: NSTA analysis shows domestic gas production is on average almost four times cleaner than the process of producing and importing gas in LNG form. Reducing domestic production would not reduce end use emissions but could lead to billions of pounds going abroad and lost British jobs and tax revenues. New licences slow the decline in UK oil and gas production, boosting the UK's energy security, rather than increasing production above current levels. The UK remains on track to meet net zero by 2050. The impact of North Sea exploration has been assessed by the UK Government in an Offshore Energy Strategic Environmental Assessment.

Department for Energy Security and Net Zero: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how much their Department spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Graham Stuart: On 2 October, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the autumn.

Warm Home Discount Scheme: Eligibility

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of expanding the eligibility criteria of the Warm Homes Discount Scheme to cover (a) people in receipt of non-means tested disability benefits and (b) parents of children with special educational needs.

Amanda Solloway: The Warm Home Discount prioritises people who are most at risk of being in fuel poverty. Fuel poverty is a combination of low incomes and high energy costs, so the scheme is targeted at those on means tested benefits whose homes are expensive to heat, and at the lowest income pensioners who are at the highest risk of winter fuel poverty. People on non-means tested benefits and parents of children with special educational needs can speak to their energy supplier about being added to their Priority Services Register, which provides additional support for vulnerable households, such as priority support in an emergency.

District Heating: Fuel Poverty

Clive Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate her Department has made of the number and proportion of consumers whose energy is provided by a heat network who are in fuel poverty in (a) Norfolk and (b) the UK.

Amanda Solloway: The Government have not made an estimate of the number of fuel poor households whose energy is provided by a heat network.Low income and fuel poor households on a heat network may be eligible for support schemes, such as the Warm Home Discount, and energy efficiency schemes including the Energy Company Obligation. Under the Energy Bill Discount Scheme heat suppliers face a legal obligation to pass support on to consumers. Heat network customers in Great Britain can contact the Energy Ombudsman if they are concerned that their operator is not meeting the requirements under the scheme. The Government further regulated heat networks via the Energy Bill.

Floating Offshore Wind Manufacturing Investment Scheme

Stephen Kinnock: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when the Government plans to announce the results of the latest round of the Floating Offshore Wind Manufacturing Investment Scheme.

Graham Stuart: The Government expects the initial assessment of applications to conclude towards the end of the year. The Department will notify projects at that point if they have been placed on either the primary or reserve list. The Department will also notify unsuccessful applicants at that time.

Energy: Prices

Clive Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps her Department has taken to enforce the requirement to pass on energy price support to end users under section 19 of the Energy Prices Act 2022 in relation to the (a) Energy Price Guarantee, (b) Energy Bills Support Scheme and (c) Energy Bill Relief Scheme.

Clive Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the requirement to pass on energy price support to end users under section 19 of the Energy Prices Act 2022, whether she has made an assessment of the number and proportion of intermediaries who have received support under the (a) Energy Price Guarantee, (b) Energy Bills Support Scheme and (c) Energy Bill Relief Scheme and (i) have and (ii) have not passed on that support since the introduction of those schemes.

Amanda Solloway: The legislation was introduced to ensure that intermediaries who received energy price support were legally required to pass through the benefit. The regulations allowed end users to pursue recovery of benefits from their intermediary as a debt through civil proceedings. Should a court rule in the end user’s favour, they will be entitled to the payment, plus interest. Such an assessment is not possible as data is not held in this way. We believe in the majority of cases energy price support was passed on to the consumer. We are aware of a small number of cases which have been escalated and are currently being investigated by the authorities.

District Heating: Prices

Clive Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what data her Department holds on the prices paid by customers who receive heating from heat networks as of 13 October 2023.

Amanda Solloway: The Department currently does not routinely collect heat network customer tariffs. However, the Heat Network Consumer and Operator Survey 2022 found that heat network customers reported paying less than non-heat network consumers for heating and hot water. The Energy Bill will allow the Government to introduce regulations for heat networks, including requirements for network operators to continually report their prices and other data to Ofgem.

North Sea Transition Authority: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how much the North Sea Transition Authority spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Graham Stuart: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.

District Heating

Simon Jupp: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what her timeline is for the introduction of regulation of heat networks.

Graham Stuart: The Energy Bill provides powers for the Government to introduce a Heat Network Market Framework. Subject to the passage of the Bill, the Government intends to introduce regulations implementing these powers across 2024, with initial measures coming into effect in 2025. The Market Framework will be fully operational by 2026.

Green Deal Scheme: Northern Ireland

Colum Eastwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, for what reason Northern Ireland is not included in the Green Deal loan scheme.

Graham Stuart: Energy policy in Northern Ireland is devolved so the decision on whether to operate a Green Deal scheme is a matter for the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Private Rented Housing: Energy

Dr Alan Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether her Department has made an assessment of the impact of not proceeding with changes to minimum energy efficiency standards in the private rented sector on the Government’s 15% energy consumption reduction target.

Graham Stuart: The ambition to reduce total UK energy demand by 15% from 2021 levels by 2030 remains. In order to meet that ambition, a range of proposals and policies are required. My Rt. Hon Friend the Secretary of State keeps under review the UK’s progress towards improving the energy efficiency of homes and will take further action if needed to ensure there are sufficient proposals and polices in place to meet the ambition.

Private Rented Housing: Energy

Dr Alan Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether the draft action plan produced by the energy efficiency taskforce included a recommendation to introduce higher minimum energy efficiency standards for the private rented sector.

Graham Stuart: The Energy Efficiency Taskforce was established to support the Government with its target to reduce total UK energy demand by 15% from 2021 levels by 2030. My Rt. Hon Friend the Secretary of State has, after careful deliberation, concluded that the draft work can be streamlined into other Government activity. No finalised product was produced.

Private Rented Housing: Energy

Dr Alan Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether her Department consulted the Energy Efficiency Taskforce on the decision to introduce new minimum energy efficiency standards for the private rented sector before the taskforce was disbanded.

Graham Stuart: The Department consulted regularly with the Energy Efficiency Taskforce to develop a pathway to reduce total UK energy demand by 15% from 2021 levels by 2030.

Industrial Energy Transformation Fund

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 19 September 2023 to Question 199543 on Industrial Energy Transformation Fund, what (a) types of companies and (b) sectors are eligible for the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund.

Graham Stuart: To receive support from the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund (IETF), companies will need to evidence that they are carrying out an eligible industrial process at a site. Companies of any type or size may apply as long as they meet the Government's sector eligibility criteria. Eligible sectors for the IETF are as follows: Mining and QuarryingManufacturingRecovery and Recycling of MaterialsData centre More information on IETF eligibility can be found here. The Government is currently reviewing sector eligibility rules for Phase 3 of the IETF, which will launch in early 2024.

Cleaning Services: Energy

Derek Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether her Department is taking steps to help support commercial laundries to reduce their energy usage.

Graham Stuart: As part of the Government’s target to cut energy use by 15% by 2030, the Government is considering ways to support energy reduction and decarbonisation across industrial sectors. The Government acknowledges the important role played by commercial laundries in supporting the NHS and UK hospitality. Commercial laundries are already eligible for the Climate Change Agreements scheme, receiving reduced rates of Climate Change Levy for cutting energy consumption. This reduces energy bills, supporting businesses to invest in further energy saving measures. The Department engages with commercial laundries via the Textile Services Association and consultations on policy developments.

Department for Energy Security and Net Zero: Public Consultation

Sally-Ann Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the 2019 consultation outcome entitled Non-domestic private rented sector minimum energy efficiency standards: future trajectory to 2030, and the 2021 closed consultation entitled Non-domestic private rented sector minimum energy efficiency standards: EPC B implementation, when she plans to publish her Department's response to those consultations.

Graham Stuart: The Department has reviewed the responses to its consultation on minimum energy efficiency standards in the non-domestic private rented sector. The Department is working to ensure the policy design remains fair and proportionate for landlords and tenants within the current economic climate and to help to realise the benefits of reduced energy bills, more comfortable and healthier workplaces, and greater energy security. The Department is also continuing to engage with commercial building owners and representative groups to understand the different pathways to support decarbonisation and give certainty to the energy efficiency supply chain. We plan to publish the response in due course.

Heat Pumps: Housing

Mark Logan: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a scheme to facilitate the installation of heat pumps in suitable homes with the cost structured as a long-term property linked loan as a means to promote the adoption of clean energy technologies.

Graham Stuart: Catalysing a market for green finance, which can help meet the costs of retrofit, is a Departmental priority. The Green Home Finance Accelerator is making £20m available to support the testing of innovative solutions. Twenty-six projects were awarded grants for initial development work. One, led by Leeds City Council, explored options for property linked finance. Twenty-three of these projects, including Leeds, recently applied to progress to pilot. Successful applicants will be announced shortly. Assessments of potential will be made once the pilots conclude. Additionally, the Government has raised grants under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme to £7,500 to support households to replace fossil fuel boilers with low-carbon air-source heat pumps.

Home Upgrade Grant

Marsha De Cordova: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether her Department has plans to increase funding for the Home Upgrade Grant scheme.

Graham Stuart: The Home Upgrade Grant (HUG) was a 2019 Conservative manifesto commitment of £2.5 billion for homes in fuel poverty living off the gas grid. To date, the Government has allocated £1.1 billion to the HUG as part of the 2020 and 2021 spending reviews which is being delivered from 2022 to March 2025. A further £6.05 billion was announced for Net Zero Buildings & Industry at the Autumn Statement in 2022 for the period 2025 to 2028. Allocation of this by His Majesty's Treasury to individual schemes will take place at future fiscal events.

Wind Power: Migrant Workers

Dave Doogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether she plans to have discussions with the Home Secretary on the potential merits of reinstating the offshore wind worker concession.

Graham Stuart: My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State discusses a range of issues with the Home Secretary, including offshore wind.

Carbon Budgets

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the Prime Minister’s speech on Net Zero on 20 September 2023, what assessment her Department made prior to 20 September of the potential impact of those policy announcements on the delivery of the (a) fifth and (b) sixth carbon budget; and if she will place a copy of that assessment in the Library.

Graham Stuart: The Carbon Budget Delivery Plan, published in March and laid in the Library, contains the information on the policies enquired about and their contribution to carbon budgets 4, 5 and 6. The vast majority of the near-200 quantified policies set out in that plan continue unamended and remain in place following the Prime Minister’s announcements. My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State keeps under review the UK's progress towards net zero. The Government has exceeded every carbon budget so far and is confident in its ability to meet its targets and net zero by 2050.

Committee on Climate Change

James Wild: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether she plans to respond to the Climate Change Committee’s 2023 Progress Report to Parliament.

Graham Stuart: The Government will respond to the Committee’s report by 31st October 2023.

Nuclear Reactors: Construction

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what regions she plans to assess for suitability as locations for future large-scale nuclear reactor projects.

Andrew Bowie: The Government is developing a new nuclear National Policy Statement, which will cover the policy framework for deploying new nuclear power stations beyond 2025. As an initial step, the Government plans to consult on its proposed approach for determining how new nuclear developments could be sited in future in England and Wales. The intention is to publish this consultation before the end of 2023.

Fossil Fuels

Drew Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the UK's progress on the 2050 targets for oil and gas usage; and whether that progress meets the recommendation of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to reduce oil and gas usage by 4% a year.

Graham Stuart: The Government’s domestic and international net zero targets are consistent with the Paris Agreement ambition to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees. The Government’s aim is to accelerate the reduction in oil and gas use and the Government has made progress in this area, including through the expansion of renewables which will reduce gas used for power generation. However, as the Climate Change Committee’s own analysis shows, the UK will still need oil and gas as it makes the transition to net zero by 2050.

Energy: Storage

Dave Doogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether her Department is developing revised operation criteria to ensure that the System Operator moves away from selecting gas by default in the power system's balancing mechanism and develops greater use of battery storage.

Graham Stuart: Operation of the Balancing Mechanism is the responsibility of the Electricity System Operator, which has a responsibility to minimise the cost of balancing for electricity consumers. The Government, through the Review of Electricity Market Arrangements (REMA) programme, is considering reforms needed to electricity market arrangements to drive the necessary investment and efficient operation of a secure, cost-effective, low-carbon electricity system. This includes reform options to maximise the potential for a range of flexible technologies to deploy and operate flexibly, including battery storage.

Committee on Climate Change: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how much the Committee on Climate Change spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Graham Stuart: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.

Floating Offshore Wind Manufacturing Investment Scheme

Stephen Kinnock: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps she is taking to ensure an objective and equitable approach to decision making for the Floating Offshore Wind Manufacturing Investment Scheme.

Graham Stuart: The Government is running a competitive process in line with the published scheme guidance. The balance of funding across different parts of the UK, worth up to £160 million, will depend on the assessment of applications that the Government has received. Any funding awards will be based on a project’s ability to demonstrate value for money and its ability to meet the strategic objectives of the scheme.

Floating Offshore Wind Manufacturing Investment Scheme

Stephen Kinnock: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps the Government is taking to ensure an equitable allocation of funds between England, Scotland and Wales from the Floating Offshore Wind Manufacturing Investment Scheme.

Graham Stuart: The balance of funding across different parts of the UK, worth up to £160 million, will depend on the assessment of applications that the Government receives. Any funding awards will be based on a project’s ability to demonstrate value for money and its ability to meet the strategic objectives of the scheme.

Wind Power

Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether her Department is taking steps to ensure that energy production estimates by wind farm developers are accurate.

Graham Stuart: The Department does not validate energy production estimates by wind farm developers. Where generation is supported through Government mechanisms such as the Contract for Difference or Renewable Obligation schemes, measures are in place to ensure payments are based on actual generation, rather than estimates.

Renewable Energy: Finance

Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether her Department is taking steps to ensure that energy supplied from renewable sources only incurs a cost to the public purse when it is required on the grid.

Graham Stuart: The Government, through the Review of Electricity Market Arrangements (REMA) programme, is considering reforms needed to electricity market arrangements to drive the necessary investment and efficient operation of a secure, cost-effective, low-carbon electricity system. This includes Government schemes, such as the Renewable Obligation and Contract for Difference, that support the generation of renewable electricity. The Government will work with Ofgem, National Grid Electricity System Operator (ESO) and the Low Carbon Contracts Company (LCCC) to review and take appropriate steps, when necessary, to ensure that system costs associated with renewable generators' participation in the Balancing Mechanism offers the best value for money for consumers.

Community Energy Fund

Samantha Dixon: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if her Department will produce annual reports on the progress (a) of the Community Energy Fund and (b) towards establishing local supply rights.

Graham Stuart: The Government has recently committed to publishing an annual report on the community energy sector, and to consult on the barriers the sector faces when developing projects. The right to local energy supply already exists and Ofgem has existing flexibility to award supply licences that are restricted to specified geographies.

Biofuels

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 19 September 2023 to Question 199325 on Biofuels, whether that assessment includes whether transitional support should (a) include all unabated biomass power generators and (b) be restricted to biomass power generation sites scoped into the power bioenergy and carbon capture programme.

Graham Stuart: Government plans to consult shortly on eligibility for potential support for facilitating the transition from unabated biomass generation to power bioenergy with carbon capture and storage.

Carbon Emissions: Local Government

Wera Hobhouse: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what proportion of grant funding schemes funded by her Department are performing to a satisfactory standard according to their respective monitoring and evaluation processes as of 13 October 2023.

Graham Stuart: The Department will review the performance of grant schemes through the completion of its first assessment of grant operations later in the year. This is a well-established process, administered by the Cabinet Office, for determining alignment with Government Functional Standards. Alongside this review, as a new department, the Department will establish the mechanisms to report specifically on grants and whether they meet their objectives.

Wind Power: Seas and Oceans

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate she has made of how much new energy generation from offshore wind farms the transmission network between Norwich and Tilbury can sustain.

Andrew Bowie: The National Grid Electricity System Operator (ESO) is responsible for ensuring the electricity system is operated safely, reliably and efficiently and for managing the electricity market. The ESO sets out the high-level design for the necessary transmission through independent, evidenced based assessment. National Grid Electricity Transmission, as the transmission owner for England and Wales, are responsible for the development of that proposed project. NGET recently published further information on their website related to this matter as part of their latest consultation. Given the Secretary of State’s role as the decision-taker in the consenting process for nationally significant infrastructure, the Department cannot comment on specific issues regarding a proposed infrastructure project to avoid prejudicing future planning decisions.

Wind Power: Seas and Oceans

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate she has made of how much new energy generation from offshore wind farms due to connect to the Norwich substation has (a) consent, (b) an application under consideration and (c) an application pending.

Andrew Bowie: The National Grid Electricity System Operator (ESO) is responsible for ensuring the electricity system is operated safely, reliably and efficiently and for managing the electricity market. The ESO sets out the high-level design for the necessary transmission through independent, evidenced based assessment of generation connection. Ofgem, the regulator has ultimate oversight to ensure regulated monopoly companies are performing their duties as we expect them to. The Department cannot comment on specific issues regarding a proposed infrastructure project to avoid prejudicing any ultimate planning decision. Information about past, current and pending planning consents for projects can be found on the Planning Inspectorate website at https://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/.

Energy: Price Caps

Clive Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what data her Department holds on the average energy costs paid by consumers who (a) received heating from a heat network and (b) did not receive heating from a heat network and whose bill was subject to the energy price cap in 2023.

Amanda Solloway: The Department currently does not routinely collect heat network customer tariffs. However, we did collect tariff information under our Heat Network Consumer and Operator Survey 2022. This survey found that heat network customers reported paying on average less than those not on heat networks. The energy price cap for the period 1 October to 31 December 2023 is £1,834 a year for a typical household who use gas and electricity and pay by Direct Debit, for non-heat network consumers who were eligible.

Civil Nuclear Police Authority: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how much the Civil Nuclear Police Authority spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Andrew Bowie: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.

Coal Authority: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how much the Coal Authority spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Graham Stuart: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.

Nuclear Decommissioning Authority: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how much the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Andrew Bowie: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.

United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how much the UK Atomic Energy Authority spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Andrew Bowie: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.

Committee on Fuel Poverty: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how much the Committee on Fuel Poverty spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Amanda Solloway: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.

National Nuclear Laboratory: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how much the National Nuclear Laboratory spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Andrew Bowie: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.

Carbon Emissions

Lloyd Russell-Moyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if she will make an estimate of the potential impact of the changes announced in the Prime Minister's speech on Net Zero on 20 September 2023 on carbon emissions in (a) 2030, (b) 2040 and (c) 2050.

Graham Stuart: My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State keeps under review the UK's progress towards net zero and its interim carbon budgets and will take further action, if needed, to ensure that there are sufficient proposals and policies in place to meet her legal duties.

Carbon Emissions: Small Businesses

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps her Department plans to take to support small businesses no longer in receipt of funding from the European Regional Development Fund on their transition to Net Zero.

Graham Stuart: Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) play a crucial role in the economy. Supporting them to seek specialist advice for both reducing energy use and accessing finance for improving energy efficiency is essential to achieving net zero. That is why the Government is working to deliver a full digital advice service on GOV.UK, which will address these barriers by providing tailored advice on how SMEs can reduce their energy usage and carbon emissions. Some local authorities have also set out in their investment plans for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund how they will support small businesses on net zero as part of wider regeneration and economic activity.

Energy: Disability

Ian Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to to support disabled people with the cost of energy.

Amanda Solloway: We recognise the cost-of-living challenges families, including those with disabled family members, are facing and in response last winter we launched a package of support for households and businesses, spending £40 billion and paying around half a typical household’s energy bill last winter. Since last winter, the outlook for energy prices has improved significantly. The Q4 2023 price cap of £1,834 has more than halved compared to the Q1 2023 price cap which stood at a high of £4,279, which is good news for households who have seen their energy bills come down. The Energy Price Guarantee will remain in place as a safety net until the end of March 2024, should energy prices increase significantly during this period. Additionally, the Government is providing further cost of living support to vulnerable households, including a £900 payment for those on means-tested benefits and an extra £150 for people on an eligible disability benefit.

Women and Equalities

Government Equalities Office: Women

Kirsten Oswald: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what proportion of officials who are (a) graded as senior civil servant 2 and (b) on full-time equivalent contracts in the Government Equalities Office are women.

Maria Caulfield: In 2022/23 more than half of new entrants to the Civil Service were women (54.1%). In 2021/22 51.6% of new entrants and 53.9% of promotions to the Senior Civil Service were women.The Equality Hub is currently led by one Director at SCS2 level. This person is male and on a full time equivalent contract. Another member of staff at this grade, who is female, is on a career break.To note, the Equality Hub comprises the Government Equalities Office, the Disability Unit, the Race Disparity Unit and the Social Mobility Commission. The percentages provided include information from all 4 units.

Equality Hub: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, how much the Equality Hub spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, how much the Government Equalities Office spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Maria Caulfield: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.

Government Equalities Office: Women

Kirsten Oswald: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what proportion of officials on temporary contracts in the Government Equalities Office are women.

Maria Caulfield: With regards to the gender of those on temporary contracts across all grades, 50% of these officials are women.To note, the Equality Hub comprises the Government Equalities Office, the Disability Unit, the Race Disparity Unit and the Social Mobility Commission. The percentages provided include information from all 4 units.

Transgender People

Elliot Colburn: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether the Government plans to amend (a) provisions on gender reassignment as a protected characteristic in the Equality Act 2010 and (b) section 9 of the Gender Recognition Act 2004.

Stuart Andrew: The government has no current plans to amend legislation on gender reassignment provisions in the Equality Act 2010 or section 9 of the Gender Recognition Act 2004.

Hate Crime: Muslims

Afzal Khan: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether she has held meetings in 2023 on (a) Islamophobia and (b) hate crime against Muslims.

Maria Caulfield: This Government is committed to doing everything we can to tackle anti-Muslim hatred and all forms of prejudice in our society. Ministers across Government regularly hold meetings covering these important issues. In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of internal discussions are not normally disclosed.

Equal Pay

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, if she will set a target date by which there will be no gender pay gap for all employees.

Maria Caulfield: Under this government the gender pay gap has fallen significantly, with the gap having fallen from 19.6% to 14.9% over the last decade. In 2017, we introduced world-leading regulations requiring large employers to publish the differences in average salaries and bonuses for men and women every year. This has ensured that employers are aware of their gaps and are taking steps to close them. We know that reporting is just the first step, but do not believe that setting arbitrary targets will help to drive the changes that we all want to see. The causes of the gender pay gap are complex, and the wider societal shifts required to close it will take time.

Prime Minister

Domestic Visits: Northern Ireland

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Prime Minister, if he will make an assessment of (a) the potential merits of a visit by him to Northern Ireland during the Orange Order parades on 12 July 2024 and (b) the potential impact of such a visit on the strength of the Union.

Rishi Sunak: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland regularly meets groups representing all communities in Northern Ireland. In July this year he attended the County Armagh Twelfth Demonstration in Lurgan in recognition that parading is an important part of Northern Ireland’s rich cultural heritage. This Government has always stressed the importance of Northern Ireland’s place within the Union. We share cultural, social and economic ties that make us more prosperous and secure.Details of my future official visits will be announced in the usual way.

Northern Ireland Office

Kilroot Power Station

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether his Department has prepared contingency plans to ensure that the electricity supply in Northern Ireland would be secure in the event of a temporary closure of Kilroot power station.

Mr Steve Baker: Energy is a devolved matter. We are grateful to the civil servants who, in the absence of an Executive, are continuing to deliver public services. My officials, along with officials at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, are working closely with the Department for Economy on energy issues.

Terrorism: Northern Ireland

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether he has had discussions with political parties in Northern Ireland on the potential merits of compensating people affected by acts of terrorism perpetrated by the IRA using Libyan-supplied weapons as part of discussions relating to the restoration of power sharing.

Mr Steve Baker: The UK Government has profound sympathy for UK victims of Qadhafi-sponsored IRA terrorism and for all victims of The Troubles. Providing compensation specifically for the actions of the Qadhafi regime, separate from the support available to victims of the Troubles, is the responsibility of the Libyan State. The Secretary of State and I engage regularly with the Northern Ireland parties on a large variety of issues and do not give a running commentary on these discussions.

Northern Ireland Government: Expenditure

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether he has made an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions' proposal to write off the Northern Ireland Executive's overspend.

Mr Steve Baker: This Government is willing to consider proposals that seek to address Northern Ireland’s overspend and place its finances on a sustainable footing. I have written to the Irish Congress of Trade Unions and look forward to meeting to discuss their proposals further.Nevertheless, this Government is clear that Northern Ireland’s finances are not sustainable and we need the Executive back in place so that they can run a balanced budget.

Boundary Commission for Northern Ireland: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much the Boundary Commission for Northern Ireland spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much the Parades Commission for Northern Ireland spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Mr Steve Baker: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service.The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance.The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.

Northern Ireland Office: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much their Department spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-2023 financial year.

Mr Steve Baker: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.

Duty Free Allowances

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment the Government has made of the potential implications for its policies of differences between duty free arrangements for people in (a) England, Scotland and Wales and (b) Northern Ireland.

Mr Steve Baker: The Government is committed to preserving frictionless movement of people and goods between Northern Ireland and Ireland, which is a member of the EU. Allowing duty-free shopping between the two would require introducing border controls between Northern Ireland and Ireland which risks undermining the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement. It could also lead to significant revenue loss for both the UK and the EU. Airports in Great Britain have extended duty-free shopping to EU destinations. However, to do so in Northern Ireland would allow goods such as alcohol and cigarettes to be bought duty-free in Northern Ireland and then sold in Ireland, or brought overland to Northern Ireland without paying duties.

Road Signs and Markings: Irish Language

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of bilingual street signs on sectarianism in Northern Ireland.

Mr Steve Baker: Local councils in Northern Ireland have the discretion to name streets and provide street signage, including street names expressed in languages other than English. The Government works to ensure equality of opportunity and good relations are central to policy, local councils in Northern Ireland will decide their own methods of consultation within their communities. The Government celebrates Northern Ireland’s rich tapestry of languages, identities and cultures, and believes that the United Kingdom’s strength lies in its diversity.

Northern Ireland Government

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment he has made of the potential implications of his policies of the Irish Taoiseach's recent comments on a United Ireland; and whether he has made an assessment of the potential effect of those comments on the Good Friday Agreement.

Chris Heaton-Harris: In accordance with the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement and the principle of consent, the Government is clear that Northern Ireland will remain part of the UK for as long as its people wish for it to be.The test for a referendum is set out in the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement and the Northern Ireland Act.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Water: Pollution Control

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what information on the Government’s proposed amendments to the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill on nutrient neutrality the Office for Environmental Protection had access to in the last six months.

Trudy Harrison: The Secretary of State discussed the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill with Dame Glenys Stacey on 31 August 2023, and sent a follow-up letter on the same day. The letter is published on the Office for Environmental Protection’s website here.

Game: Birds

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Written Statement of 5 June 2023 on General licensing, UIN HCWS820, how many applications to release gamebirds (a) on and (b) within) 500 metres of Special Protection Areas has her Department (i) received, (ii) approved and (iii) sought advice from Natural England.

Trudy Harrison: Please find below a breakdown of applications received by Defra to release gamebirds within a Special Protection Area or within 500 metres of such an area: Applications received130Applications approved106Applications where advice from Natural England considered130

Veterinary Services: Consumers

Alex Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he Department has had recent discussions with the Competition and Markets Authority on the adequacy of consumer protection in the private veterinary industry in cases of misdiagnosis.

Mark Spencer: Defra has not had discussions with the Competition and Markets Authority concerning consumer protection in cases of misdiagnosis. Any complaints about the conduct and fitness to practice of individual veterinary surgeons should be directed to the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, the statutory regulator of the veterinary profession in the United Kingdom. The Competition and Markets Authority investigation into the veterinary services market is ongoing and closes by the end of October 2023.

Giant Hogweed

Sir Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has published advice for local authorities on the (a) control and (b) removal of giant hogweed on land near to public right of way where there may be a risk to public health.

Trudy Harrison: Giant hogweed is listed as a species of special concern under the Invasive Alien Species (Enforcement and Permitting) Order 2019, which makes an offence of planting or otherwise causing giant hogweed to grow in the wild. As giant hogweed is widespread in the UK, there is no legal requirement to report it, nor is it compulsory to remove it. Although there are currently no plans for a large-scale eradication of giant hogweed, we support local eradication projects where this is feasible as part of management measures for this species. Defra, in collaboration with Natural England and Environment Agency, has published guidance on how to stop the spread and dispose of invasive non-native plants that can harm the environment in England. The GB Non-Native Species Secretariat website is the primary site for publicly available information on individual invasive species such as giant hogweed and includes links to management guidance documents produced by a range of organisations. The Secretariat carries out many public awareness campaigns, publishes articles, and provides training in which giant hogweed frequently features due to its human health impact.

Waste: Landfill

David Duguid: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has had discussions with the Scottish Government on its proposals to prohibit biodegradable municipal waste from being sent to landfill sites by 2025; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of these proposals on landfill sites in England.

Rebecca Pow: My officials regularly engage with counterparts in the Devolved Administrations, including the Scottish Government, to discuss policy developments and interactions. Earlier this summer we issued a Call for Evidence relating to the near elimination of biodegradable waste disposal in landfill in England from 2028. As part of this Call for Evidence we included two questions related to the inter-UK disposal of biodegradable waste in landfill.

Forestry

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans her Department has to support the planting of species of (a) plants and (b) trees native to the UK.

Trudy Harrison: The Government is committed to taking action to recover our threatened native species. That is why, in England, we have set four legally binding targets for biodiversity: to halt the decline in species abundance by 2030; then to reverse declines by 2042; to reduce the risk of species extinction by 2042; and restore or create more than 500,000 hectares of wildlife-rich habitat, also by 2042. We have set out our plan to deliver on these ambitious targets, along with our other environmental targets, in the revised Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP23). Plant conservation is central to these ambitions, and we have funded, through agri-environmental schemes, the planting of native plant species to create wildlife rich habitats, for example for pollinators. Through the Species Recovery Programme, we have also supported specific recovery projects for our most threatened plant species such as lady’s slipper orchid and wild asparagus. Trees are an essential part of our nation’s biodiversity, and existing native woodlands are recognised as priority habitats. Establishing more native broadleaf and mixed woodlands will therefore play an important role in contributing to the broader goals of the 25 Year Environment Plan. This is why the England Woodland Creation Offer includes supplements that incentivise the creation of native woodland with high biodiversity potential.

Agriculture: Carbon Emissions

Duncan Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will introduce a comprehensive decarbonisation strategy for the agriculture sector which helps to support farmers and their supply chain partners to (a) restore nature, (b) cut greenhouse gas emissions and (c) (i) maintain and (ii) enhance food production.

Mark Spencer: Net Zero is a priority for the Government. The Net Zero Strategy, Net Zero Growth Plan, and Environmental Improvement Plan 2023 set out our commitments to reduce emissions from agriculture. Our farming policy aims to support farmers to protect nature and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture, alongside their core role as food producers. Food production is the primary purpose of farming and always will be, and we know that changes to farming practice will be required to limit emissions while maintaining profitability and increasing productivity. To achieve our greenhouse gas emissions targets, we are taking a range of measures to support farmers. This includes Environmental Land Management (ELM). Good land management can help increase carbon storage and reduce emissions in agriculture, including integrating cover crops and nitrogen-fixing break crops in rotations. We are paying for a range of actions through farming schemes such as Sustainable Farming Incentive to support farm decarbonisation and Countryside Stewardship and Landscape Recovery to store more carbon in the landscape. At the same time, these schemes invest in the foundations of food security: healthy soil, abundant pollinators and clean water. The schemes will help farmers deliver environmental outcomes on the land they manage while helping their businesses become more productive and sustainable. We will also pay farmers for improvements to animal health and welfare, as improvements in animal health in turn can support lower emissions and improve productivity. We will also support market-led approaches such as improved productivity and use of precision techniques. That is not all: the Government recognises wide-spread application of innovation, science and technology can be transformational. That is why we are implementing these through innovation and productivity schemes such as the £270 million Farming Innovation Programme and the Farming Investment Fund. We are also exploring innovations at different stages of development including methane inhibiting feed additives for livestock and improving fuel and energy efficiency on farms.

Dogs: Smuggling

Dr Luke Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 12 July 2023 to Question 192201 on Dogs: Smuggling, what actions points her Department has recorded in the context of her Department's discussion with (a) Cabinet colleagues and (b) third-party stakeholders on policy formation to tackle puppy smuggling.

Trudy Harrison: The Secretary of State has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues about a wide range of issues, and Cabinet discussions are considered confidential. The Department continues to engage with third party stakeholders on the issue of tackling puppy smuggling to gather views on this subject as part of routine engagement. The Government is committed to delivering its manifesto commitment to crack down on puppy smuggling when parliamentary time allows.

Horse Racing: Animal Welfare

Dr Rupa Huq: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she is taking steps to increase the (a) safety and (b) welfare of professional racing horses.

Trudy Harrison: The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) is British racing's governing and regulatory body and is responsible for the safety of racehorses at British racecourses. The BHA works alongside the RSPCA and World Horse Welfare to make horseracing as safe as possible. Officials from Defra engage with these organisations on such matters.

Tree Preservation Orders: Crime Prevention

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help protect trees of national significance from criminal damage.

Trudy Harrison: Defra Ministers engage with their colleagues in the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities regularly to ensure we are working together in protecting our treescape. In the England Trees Action Plan, we are committed to ensuring our irreplaceable ancient trees and woodlands are adequately protected and suitably managed. Individual trees or groups of trees important to local amenity can be protected by Tree Preservation Orders. An Order makes it an offence to cut down, prune, uproot, wilfully damage or wilfully destroy a tree covered by that Order without the local authority’s written permission.

Office for Environmental Protection

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much grant funding was provided to the Office for Environmental Protection in financial years (a) 2022-23 and (b) 2023-24.

Trudy Harrison: The Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) in England is publicly funded by a grant in aid from Defra as the sponsoring department. In 2022/23, Defra provided £7,108,583 of baseline funding and £4,364,366 of additional funding to the OEP to support establishment costs. In 2023/24, Defra increased baseline funding to £8,130,755 and provided £1,100,000 of additional funding. The OEP’s activity in Northern Ireland is funded separately by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs.

Allotments: Urban Areas

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department is taking steps to help increase the level of allotment provision in urban areas.

Trudy Harrison: The Government recognises the importance of access to local green spaces including allotments in enabling and supporting healthy lifestyles within our communities. The National Planning Policy Framework is clear that that local planning policies should be based on robust and up-to-date assessments of the need for open space and opportunities for new provision, which can include allotments, and their plans should then seek to accommodate this. The National Model Design Code states that as part of open space design for large developments there should be the consideration of allotments and community growing projects for food production, learning and community engagement. The Government is committed to empowering communities to shape what happens in their local area and to work together to improve their neighbourhoods including projects which support pride of place and local growing spaces. Natural England launched the Green Infrastructure Framework: Principles and Standards for England in January 2023. This will help local planning authorities and developers to create or improve green and blue infrastructure, particularly where provision is poorest. This could include community food growing alongside other greenspaces and environmental features.

Plastics: Waste

Ruth Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Answer of 5 February 2021 to Question 144990 on Plastics: Waste, whether it remains her Department's policy to issue a consultation on the ban on the export of plastic waste to non-OECD countries.

Rebecca Pow: Yes. Defra officials are working to publish a consultation on delivering a ban on the export of plastic waste to non-OECD countries this year.

Sustainable Farming Incentive

Daniel Zeichner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many applications were received for the Sustainable Farming Initiative between January and September 2023; and how many of those applications have been awarded as of 20 September 2023.

Mark Spencer: The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) received a total of 1,855 applications for the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) scheme between January and September 2023. Of these, 1,487 farm businesses have accepted an offer of agreement. SFI closed for new applications in June 2023 and started accepting new applications from September 2023. As of 18 October 2023, the RPA had received 14,937 registrations of interest for SFI23.

Waste: Exports

Ruth Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will list the quantities of waste exported in (a) 2020, (b) 2021 and (c) 2022, broken down by receiving country.

Rebecca Pow: The top ten waste types exported from the UK in 2020, 2021 and 2022, alongside the top ten destinations for those waste types, are represented in the three tables below. The information requested is not held centrally and to obtain it in full would incur disproportionate costs. This dataset has been obtained from information provided by exporters to His Majesty's Revenue and Customs. This data is publicly available at https://www.uktradeinfo.com/ . 2020RankWaste typeWaste exported (KT)Top destination country  (in parentheses: quantity of waste exported in KT; proportion of total waste type exported from the UK as %)1Iron & steel waste and scrap6,826Turkey (2,394KT; 35.1%); Pakistan (997KT; 14.6%); Egypt (742KT; 10.9%); Bangladesh (205KT; 3.0%); Saudi Arabia (173KT; 2.5%)2Paper and paperboard waste3,780India (979KT; 22.8%); Thailand (561KT; 13.0%); Turkey (491KT; 11.4%); Netherlands (474KT; 11.0%); Malaysia (401KT; 9.3%)3Plastic waste and scrap537Turkey (210KT; 39.0%); Malaysia (65KT; 12.2%); Poland (38KT; 7.0%); Netherlands (38KT; 7.0%); Spain (31KT; 5.8%)4Aluminium waste and scrap436India (122KT;27.8%); China (76KT; 17.4%); Thailand (18KT; 4.1%); Republic of Korea (34KT; 7.8KT); Italy (30KT; 6.9%)5Glass cullet waste298Portugal (83KT; 27.2%); Belgium (83KT; 27.2%); Netherlands (16KT; 5.3%); Spain (15KT; 5.2%); confidential country (13KT; 4.2%)6Worn clothing and textiles281Ghana (57KT; 20.4%); Pakistan (42KT; 15.1%); United Arab Emirates (34KT; 12.1%); Ukraine (26KT; 9.2%); Poland (24KT; 8.5%)7Residual products of the chemical or allied industries181Norway (151KT; 83.5%); Netherlands (22KT; 12.0%); Germany (8KT; 4.4%); New Caledonia (0.04KT; 0.02%); Canada (0.02KT; 0.01%)8Rubber waste138India (113KT; 81.6%); Pakistan (11KT; 7.6%); Japan (8KT; 6.0%); Netherlands (2KT;1.6%); France (1KT; 0.6%)9Animal waste108Ireland (36KT; 33.5%); France (23KT; 21.0%); Netherlands (17KT; 15.4%); Germany (13KT; 11.7%); Bulgaria (9KT; 8.1%)10Residues of starch manufacture and similar76Ireland (62KT; 81.9%); Denmark (8KT; 10.8%); Spain (4KT; 4.7%); Netherlands (2KT; 2.1%); Philippines (0.3KT; 0.4%)11Residues from food industry (vegetable waste)26Ireland (26KT; 98.5%); Qatar (0.1KT; 0.3%); Netherlands (0.1KT; 0.3%); Norway (0.1KT; 0.2%); France (0.02KT; 0.1%)   2021RankWaste typeWaste exported (KT)Top destination country  (in parentheses: quantity of waste exported in KT; proportion of total waste type exported from the UK as %)1Iron & steel waste and scrap8,595Turkey (2,345KT; 27.3%); Egypt (1,491KT; 17.3%); Bangladesh (675KT; 7.9%); Italy (496KT; 5.8%); United States of America (285KT; 3.3%)2Paper and paperboard waste4,298India (979KT; 22.8%); Thailand (561KT; 13.0%); Turkey (491KT; 11.4%); Netherlands (474KT; 11.0%); Malaysia (401KT; 9.3%)3Residual products of the chemical or allied industries1,497Sweden (617KT; 41.2%); Netherlands (346KT; 23.1%); Germany (106KT; 7.1%); Cyprus (104KT; 7.0%); Norway (99KT; 6.6%)4Aluminium waste and scrap560India (174KT; 31.2%); Hong Kong (43KT; 7.6%); Thailand (32KT; 5.8%); Republic of Korea (30KT; 5.4%); Switzerland (28KT; 5.0%)5Plastic scrap and waste468Turkey (123KT; 26.2%); Netherlands (101KT; 21.6%); Poland (52KT; 11.1%); Spain (37KT; 7.9%); Italy (18KT; 3.9%)6Glass cullet waste367Portugal (185KT; 50.4%); Belgium (72KT; 19.6%); Netherlands (48KT; 13.2%); Spain (33KT; 8.9%); Germany (11KT; 2.9%)7Worn clothing and textiles358Ghana (63KT; 17.7%); Pakistan (49KT; 13.7%); Ukraine (46KT; 12.9%); United Arab Emirates (42KT; 11.7%); Poland (41KT; 11.6%)8Rubber waste296India (194KT; 65.4%); Turkey (61KT; 20.4%); Portugal (13KT; 4.3%); Pakistan (10KT; 3.2%); Morocco (5KT; 1.7%)9Slag, ash and residues containing metals (excl. those from the manufacture of iron or steel)99Belgium (32KT; 32.1%); Norway (22KT; 22.1%); Netherlands (21KT; 21.4%); Germany (12KT; 12.2%); Canada (8KT; 8.0%)10Mineral fuels86Denmark (58KT; 67.6%); Greece (8KT; 9.2%); France (7KT; 8.3%); Belgium (6KT; 6.8%); Ireland (3KT; 3.4%)   2022RankWaste typeWaste exported (KT)Top destination country  (in parentheses: quantity of waste exported in KT; proportion of total waste type exported from the UK as %)1Iron & steel waste and scrap8,241Turkey (1,840KT; 22.3%); Egypt (1,396KT; 16.9%); India (1,241KT; 15.1%); Bangladesh (730KT; 8.9%); Italy (290KT; 3.5%)2Paper and paperboard waste4,087India (1,124KT; 27.5%); Vietnam (525KT; 12.8%); Netherlands (454KT; 11.1%); Turkey (376KT; 9.2%); Malaysia (363KT; 8.9%)3Residual products of the chemical or allied industries1,569Sweden (709KT; 45.2%); Netherlands (365KT; 23.3%); Norway (101KT; 6.4%); Denmark (89KT; 5.7%); Cyprus (36KT; 2.3%)4Aluminium waste and scrap632India (213KT; 33.6%); Hong Kong (98KT; 15.5%); Germany (54KT; 8.5%); Thailand (41KT; 6.4%); Pakistan (20KT; 3.1%)5Plastic waste and scrap483Netherlands (120KT; 24.8KT); Turkey (88KT; 18.3%); Belgum (38KT; 7.9%); Poland (31KT; 6.4%); Spain (23KT; 4.7%)6Glass cullet waste418Portugal (222KT; 53%); Netherlands (67KT; 15.9%); Belgium (59KT; 14.0%); Spain (25KT; 5.9%); Italy (19KT; 4.5%)7Worn clothing and textiles418United Arab Emirates (75KT; 18.1%); Ghana (53KT; 12.6%); Pakistan (52KT; 12.4%); Poland (51KT; 12.3%); Ukraine (37KT; 8.8%)8Rubber waste395India (297KT; 75.2%); Turkey (43KT; 10.9%); Pakistan (10KT; 2.6%); Portugal (8KT; 1.9%); Denmark (6KT; 1.4%)9Copper waste and scrap253China (62KT; 24.5%); India (38KT; 14.9%); Germany (35KT; 13.9%); Japan (11KT; 4.2%); France (11KT; 4.2%)10Mineral fuels118Denmark (94KT; 79.6%); Finland (7KT; 5.6%); France (7KT; 5.6%); Ireland (4KT; 3.4%); Ireland (4KT; 3.4%); Belgium (4KT; 3.0%)

Derelict Land: Contamination

Conor McGinn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of reintroducing funding to clean up contaminated brownfield land.

Rebecca Pow: Local Authorities have a statutory responsibility under Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to inspect their areas from ‘time to time’ to identify and require the remediation of any land. The Government recognises that in particularly severe or complex cases Landfill Tax can act as a prohibitive financial barrier to the remediation and redevelopment of contaminated land. My Department held a Call for Evidence on this issue and published a Government response in March this year. As a result of this evidence, we are currently developing a grant scheme to fund costs of Landfill Tax to public bodies in England, where such costs are acting as a determinative barrier to the remediation and redevelopment of contaminated land.

Fisheries: Quotas

Andrew Bridgen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department has taken to help prepare the UK fishing fleet for the transfer of EU quotas to the UK by June 2026 in the context of the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

Mark Spencer: The UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement secured the UK an increase in its share of quota for jointly managed fish stocks. This increase in fishing opportunities for the UK fleet has been gradually implemented across the duration of the transition period for fisheries to allow for the necessary adjustments by the UK fishing fleet, and in 2023 this uplift of quota was worth around £100m in additional fishing opportunities based on historic landing price. Increases in the UK quota share will continue annually until the adjustment period ends on 30 June 2026.

Recycling: Standards

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 24 November 2022 to Question 86609 on Recycling: Standards, when she plans to publish the results of the consultation on Consistency in Household and Business Recycling Collections in England.

Rebecca Pow: We published our response to the 2021 consultation Consistency in Household and Business Recycling in England on 21st October 2023. It is now available on GOV.UK.

Veterinary Services: Costs

Alex Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the implications for her policies of trends in the level of costs in the private veterinary industry.

Mark Spencer: The Department has made no specific assessment of the implications on Defra policies of trends in costs in the private veterinary industry. However, policies are impact assessed in line with the Better Regulation Framework and such assessments consider costs in relation to relevant sectors, which may include the private veterinary sector.

Food: Origin Marking

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to increase transparency on where food is produced.

Mark Spencer: Origin labelling is required for beef, veal, lamb, mutton, pork, goat and poultry meat, fish and shellfish, honey, olive oil, wine and most fruit and vegetables, as well as any other product where the consumer might otherwise be misled. We are working with industry to ensure that origin information is as transparent as possible, including for online sales. The next UK Food Security Report, which will include updated information on where food consumed in the UK is produced, will be presented to Parliament by the end of 2024.

Meat: Exports

Alec Shelbrooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking with the Secretary of State for Business and Trade to increase levels of meat and poultry exports.

Mark Spencer: To support delivery of the Government’s Export Strategy the Prime Minister recently announced a food and drink export package to boost export capability and deliver on growing demand for our high-quality UK produce across the world. This included a further expansion of our global agrifood and drink counsellor network who negotiate removal of trade barriers in growing global markets. Within the last year we have successfully secured access for lamb to the USA and apples to India. The export package also included a £2m boost to promotional activity such as trade shows and missions that help drive demand for UK products alongside the GREAT food and drink campaign. To further support food producers export, we have held a range of National and Regional food summits with dedicated SME workshops to highlight export opportunities and build capability. Supporting this increased investment in exports we have an ambitious programme of negotiations for free trade agreements which is delivering results. On 31 May the UK’s first new free trade agreements with Australia and New Zealand came into force, opening markets for UK producers across all products. On 31 March, the Government substantially concluded negotiations on the UK’s accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), a free trade agreement (FTA) including 11 members: Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam. This trade deal will see new export opportunities for food producers including exporters of meat and poultry. We work closely with a wide range of industry representative partners to identify and prioritise barrier removal, and to seize opportunities to streamline the export process for animals and animal products. Alongside opening new market opportunities, we are also increasing resilience and mitigating risks to existing trade. This is particularly the case with poultry where we are working with trade partners to agree regionalisation agreements to allow trade from unaffected regions to continue in the context of Avian Influenza outbreaks.

Agriculture: Fertilisers

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department is taking steps to support farmers to store slurry.

Mark Spencer: Investing in proper slurry storage is a critical step livestock farmers need to take to make best use of their organic nutrients and prevent pollution. In December 2022, my Department launched the first round of the Slurry Infrastructure grant with a budget of £34m. The scheme offers grants of £25,000 to £250,000 to help cattle and pig farms invest in enlarged, covered slurry stores. We will run two further, larger rounds of the grant in Autumn 2023 and 2024. Farmers interesting in applying for the scheme should read the updated guidance we recently published on GOV.UK.

Fish Farming: Animal Welfare

Cat Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will implement the recommendations of the Animal Welfare Committee on the welfare of farmed fish at the time of killing.

Yasmin Qureshi: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to adopt the recommendations made by the Animal Welfare Committee in its updated opinion on farmed fish welfare.

Mark Spencer: The Animal Welfare Committee has updated its 2014 Opinion on the welfare of farmed fish at the time of killing and we are studying the recommendations carefully to determine next steps.

Shellfish: Fishing Limits

Derek Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to minimum catch sizes for crawfish, if her Department will extend the inshore 110mm landing size to outside the six mile limit.

Mark Spencer: Government has consulted on a crab and lobster fisheries management plan (FMP) which included a proposal to extend the national minimum landing size for crawfish to 110mm outside 6 nautical miles. This consultation closed on 01 October. The crab and lobster FMP is due to be published in December.

Tree Felling

Darren Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, on what date the transparency measures on public tree removal in the Environment Act 2021 will be implemented.

Trudy Harrison: New Forestry Enforcement Measures and the Duty to Consult were introduced by the Environment Act 2021. The New Forestry Enforcement Measures help better equip the Forestry Commission to combat unauthorised and illegal felling, with unlimited fines and more transparent enforcement processes. These changes commenced on 1 January 2023. The Duty to Consult introduces a new duty on local authorities to consult the public on street tree felling that will take place in England, increasing the awareness and transparency of decision making on urban trees and creating a space for the public to contribute to these decisions. The guidance for the new Duty to Consult is being finalised and we aim to commence the measure soon.

Scotland Office

Whisky

Jamie Stone: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to support the whisky industry.

Mr Alister Jack: I am in regular contact with Cabinet colleagues on a range of issues of importance to Scotland’s whisky industry. Scotland’s whisky industry continues to go from strength to strength at home and abroad, and Scotch whisky is the UK’s premier food and drink export. I want Scottish producers to take full advantage of the new trade deals the UK Government is striking around the world. In this vein, earlier this month I visited Vietnam, a key growth market for Scotch whisky, where along with representatives from the Scotch Whisky Association, I hosted a whisky reception for key business leaders in Hanoi.

Scottish Government: Visits Abroad

Douglas Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether he has had recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs on his Department's provision of support for Scottish Ministers on planned overseas visits to promote the Scottish (a) economy and (b) culture.

Mr Alister Jack: I have had frequent recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs on his Department's provision of support for Scottish Ministers on planned overseas visits. I fully agree with the FCDO's current guidance which states that, when ministers from the devolved administrations are holding meetings with ministers from overseas governments (or positions of equivalent seniority e.g. EU Commissioner), a senior UK Government official is expected to attend.

Wales Office

Speed Limits: Wales

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to rescind the decision of the Welsh Government to introduce default 20mph speed limits.

David T C Davies: As part of the Wales Act 2017, power for setting national speed limits was devolved to the Welsh Government.It is disappointing that the Welsh Government seems to be ignoring its own impact assessments, which suggest a £4.5 billion hit to the Welsh economy.The UK Government does not have any current plans to change the national speed limits, or to introduce 20mph as the default speed limit for urban areas in England.

Wales Office: Training

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how much their Department spent on equality and diversity training in the 2022-2023 financial year.

David T C Davies: On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.